


Archridge Academy: Year Four

by wolframlogistics



Series: Sons of E'din [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Anal Sex, Ancient History, Ancient Technology, Angels, Asexual Character, Bisexual Male Character, Blow Jobs, Boarding School, Brothers, Child Abuse, Children, Gay Male Character, M/M, Multi, Pansexual Character, Prophecy, Rape/Non-con Elements, Science Fiction, Siblings, Trans Character, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-07-02 22:13:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 47
Words: 141,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15805584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolframlogistics/pseuds/wolframlogistics
Summary: The fourth year at Archridge Academy begins for Alex, Gabriel, Barach, and Remiel.The pressure of perfection starts to get to Gabriel. Filled with nothing but self-loathing and anger, Gabriel pushes Alex away even more. Barach does what he can to slow Gabriel's downward spiral, especially now that he knows the truth, but sometimes they all need to blow off some excess energy.Without Gabriel around when he needs him, Alex relies on his friends to comfort him. Except one day, when Alex needs him most, Remiel isn't there...





	1. ✶ Year 4 - 596 DE

**Author's Note:**

> Year Four of Archridge Academy will be beginning soon. I wanted to get the first chapter up to link to at the end of year three, but there were some delays in my writing this month, so it's not ready yet. I'll get it edited and posted as soon as possible!

## Sons of E'din: Archridge Academy: Year Four

### 596th Year of the Dominion of E'din

  
  


**Gabriel** : Age 15, Year 11, AC Year 4 

**Alex** : Age 11, Year 7 

**Barachiel** : Age 16, Year 11 

**Remiel** : Age 18, Year 14, Specialization Year 1 

**Erem** : Age 15, Year 11 

**Uzzi, Isa, Mace, Phrasa, Nenghi** : Age 11, Year 7 

**Sophie** : Age 18, Year 14, Post Graduate Healing Year 2 

**Zak** : Age 27, Post Graduate Healing Year 2 

**Lorcasiel** : Age 20, Year 16, AC Year 4 

**Sera** : Age 19, Year 15, AC Year 4 

**Nakia** : Age 12, Year 8 

  


### Calendar

 **Spring:**  
Artisan  
Beasts  
Sun and Moon

 **Summer:**  
Tides  
Predators  
Harvest

 **Autumn:**  
Justice  
Blight  
Soldiers

 **Winter:**  
Descendants  
Saviors  
Wind

Every Month has 30 Degrees, broken into 6 days of class, 3 days off, and an extra 3 days off at the end of the month. 

Weekdays | Weekend  
---|---  
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9  
10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18  
19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27  
|  |  |  |  |  | 28 | 29 | 30


	2. Alex: 23rd Degree of Artisan, 596 DE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The new year of class has begun at Archridge Academy!

At the end of Artisan, the first month of the new year, Alex sat in his Geomagnetic Theology class, his elbow on his desk and his cheek propped up on his fist. He stared toward the front of the room, but his eyes were unfocused. His mind wandered as the instructor droned on.

It wasn’t that he disliked the class. He actually wanted to be there. The problem was that she talked. A lot. And she expected the full attention from every student in her class, which was difficult for Alex, considering Uzzi sat at his side.

For the first week, Alex hadn’t been allowed to attend any of his classes with his friends. The academy medics insisted Alex stay in bed after the marble statue that used to stand in Imperial housing crushed him. He didn’t think his injuries were that bad, but even Remiel and Sophie agreed that he should remain stuck in his room. 

So, Alex lay in his bunk, alone, waiting for his friends to return every afternoon. All he had to entertain himself during the long stretches of day were a few books he’d already read and some thread Remiel left him. He was glad when they allowed him to go to class, even if he still limped for a few days after.

Alex knew he probably could have dodged the statue when it fell, but if he had, his friend Nakia would have been crushed. She was a Homm. Even if academy healers got to her as fast as they got to him, they wouldn’t have been able to save her. So, Alex had done the only thing he could and pushed her out of the way.

It certainly wasn’t the worst injury Alex had had, and Nakia had only suffered from a bump on her head and some scratches on her arms. Alex had no regrets about saving her. 

He would do it again, if he had to.

The instructor snapped a ruler down sharply on her desk. Alex sat bolt upright, but she wasn’t looking at him. 

“Terran Fihiel, no snacks during lectures. Put it away,” she commanded. The Terran boy she reprimanded shyly put an apple back in his bag. The instructor continued her speech, and this time, Alex tried to remain a little more alert.

“Every point of life on this planet is fueled by fragments of energy bound together to form a soul,” she said as she paced the front of the room. “The more complex the being, the more fragments are required to create a viable living structure, however, the energy is all the same. 

“At conception, fragments begin gathering until the soul has reached capacity for whichever species is being developed. There are creatures so small, they need only a single shard to be viable for existence. And there are others, such as ourselves, who require souls so dense and complex, it would be impossible to count the shards within. 

“Upon death, the energy fragments of the soul shatter, drawn out across the planet on the geomagnetic waves to spread across the land and find purchase in new life. 

“It is important to remember that energy can never be destroyed, only transfered. We are all bound to this planet, in the past and future, in whatever forms our souls may find.”

A hand shot up. “Even trees?”

“Yes,” the instructor said.

“Mice?” another student asked. 

“They may be small, but there is much complexity to all living mammals. Their souls are more similar to your own than you would think.”

“Rocks?” a boy at the back of the room asked.

The instructor narrowed her eyes at him. “Is a rock a living thing?”

The boy shrugged. “I dunno.”

“It’s not,” she said sharply. “So, no. Rocks do not require a soul to exist.”

“What about bugs?” a girl asked, making a face. 

“Yes. Bugs, fish, bactiria, mold, all of it. If it can grow, reproduce, and adapt as a species, it has a soul bound to this planet.”

“Even the Isten?”

The instructor paused thoughtfully. “No,” she said. “They have souls, but they are not bound to this planet as we are. The Isten and the original colonists came from Ahn. Their souls are bound to their planet, as ours are bound to Ter. 

“That was one of the greatest problems the colonists faced when they arrived here. They could not have children among themselves, because their souls, their genetic code, required energy from Ahn. The energy of their planet could not travel across the void to sustain their lives. 

“That is why the first descendants were so important. The beings of this planet needed to be compatible with the Ahn colonists, but had to remain closely linked to this planet so that they could procreate. 

“All descendants of the colonists and the Isten are born through Homm or Terran in order to be bound to this planet. If the genetic tie is not strong enough, and the person is bound to Ahn more than Ter, they will suffer from a wasting disease, which is what happened to many of the Ahn colonists and the early descendants. The shards of their souls that belonged to Ahn faded, unable to support life so far from their plant.”

Another hand raised. “When more people from Ahn come, will they suffer from the wasting disease, too?”

“No,” said the instructor confidently. “When the time comes for the settlers to begin arriving, they will already be adapted to life on this planet. You’ll learn more about it in Advanced Genetics in a couple years, but there is a serum being developed that will allow the people from Ahn to come here safely. In fact…” Her eyes fell on Alex. He stiffened. “The Isten leading the development of the genetic reconfiguration serum is a brilliant man, and the father of one of your classmates. Ahnnak Alexiel, would you mind standing up and telling us a bit about your father?”

The room went cold. All eyes turned on Alex. He just stared at her, too stunned to move. There was no way he was doing anything she had just asked him to do.

“Ahnnak Alexiel? Your father is the Isten Jequn, is he not?”

_No_ , Alex thought intensely, but he didn’t say anything. He didn’t move. Everyone was watching him.

The instructor grew frustrated and scowled. “Ahnnak Alexiel, are you even paying attention? Answer me.”

“Hey, back off!” Uzzi snapped, standing up. His wings puffed out.

“Terran Uzziel, sit down!” 

“If Alex doesn’t want to answer you, he doesn’t have to, you old hag.”

“Uzziel! That is enough! Both of you, go stand in the hall right now!” 

Uzzi pointed at Alex. “But he didn’t do anything!”

“OUT!” 

Before Uzzi could argue more, Alex stood up, pushing the bench back with a loud scrape. He left the room, head lowered so his black hair hid his face from the class. Uzzi grumbled something under his breath, then came out with him. 

The instructor followed them out the door. “You will both stand here and consider your apology, or I will be sending you both up to the disciplinary office to have your attitudes corrected.” She went back in the class. 

Uzzi stuck his tongue out after her. “Hag,” he muttered.

“You shouldn’t have said anything,” Alex said, standing at his friend’s side in the empty hall. They were the same height now, though Uzzi’s stocky build and puffed up wings still made him look bigger. Alex was thin, though it wasn’t because he didn’t eat. He ate constantly. Lately, he was hungry all the time, and there were days he couldn’t bear to wait until lunch to eat. 

Even now, he was hungry, which was why he brought extra bread in his satchel.

Which he left at his desk. In the classroom.

_Damn it._

Uzzi saw Alex frowning as he tried to ignore the hunger pangs in his belly. “You’re not really upset with me, are you?” Uzzi asked.

“What?” Alex looked at him. “No. I’m just hungry. I left my bag in the class.”

“Oh,” said Uzzi with a relieved laugh. He dug into the pockets of his loose pants and pulled out a flattened bread roll. It looked like it had been sat on. He offered it to Alex.

Without hesitation, Alex took the bread. “Thanks,” he said before beginning to stuff it into his mouth.

“No problem.” Smiling, Uzzi watched him eat. “Fiends, people always say I eat a lot, but they’ve never seen you. After what you ate at breakfast, I’m amazed you can fly, let alone eat more.”

Alex finished the bread and quickly sucked each of his fingertips clean. “Can’t help it,” he said. “I feel like I’m starving all the time.”

“Yeah, I know. You even ate the honey bread Remi brought me last weekend.”

“He brought it for all of us. To share,” Alex pointed out.

“And yet, you still ate the whole thing.” Uzzi grinned at him. “I don’t mind. I just didn’t think you liked sweets.”

“I don’t. But it’s not going to kill me, and it’s food.” There was a sound at the classroom door, and they both paused, waiting to see if the instructor was coming back out. She didn’t, and they both relaxed again. “I can’t wait for lunch,” Alex said wistfully.

“Should we apologize to her?” asked Uzzi. “So she lets us back in class and we don’t have to go up to the office?”

“I’d prefer not to talk to her at all, but yeah… I really don’t want to miss lunch today.” Alex sighed.

After a few moments of silence, Uzzi asked, “So… was it cause she asked you to talk in front of the class, or because she mentioned your dad?”

Alex’s wings tightened against his back. He didn’t say anything.

“Because I’ve noticed,” Uzzi continued, “whenever someone mentions your dad, you get all tense like you are now, like you’re trying to be small and unnoticeable. You remind me of a lapon trying to hide under a bush from predators, trying to be still enough not to be noticed.” Uzzi tilted his head, his fiery eyes examining Alex’s blank face. “Why don’t you ever talk about him?”

Alex looked at the stone floor. He remained silent.

Uzzi huffed, a heated wave of irritation radiating off him. “You know, friends don’t keep secrets from each other, Alex. I wish you would trust me.”

He did trust Uzzi. At least, he wanted to trust Uzzi. But he couldn’t say anything. Gabriel would be furious if he ever found out. 

Still, Alex didn’t want Uzzi to be upset with him, either.

“He isn’t a nice man,” Alex whispered, so softly Uzzi barely heard him. “He gets angry easy.”

Uzzi’s energy calmed to a comfortable warmth. “So he’s a lot like your brother?”

Alex nodded, because it was true. They were a lot alike, and it wasn’t just their appearance. When Gabriel got angry, he reminded Alex of Jequn so much, it was difficult to be near him.

And lately, Gabriel always seemed angry, especially when he saw Alex. Or was it sad? Sometimes it was still hard to tell, but Alex understood. His brother had made it clear he didn’t want Alex near him while they were at the academy, so Alex stayed away. Even if the rejection hurt.

Uzzi reached over and touched Alex’s hand. He waited a second to see if Alex would pull away, then linked their fingers together. The warmth of his touch traveled up Alex’s arm. It was meant to be a comforting gesture, so Alex focused on that, ignoring the way his skin twitched.

When the instructor came out of the room toward the end of class, Alex pulled away. Uzzi didn’t try to stop him. They both stood their with their hands at their sides, trying not to look like they’d nearly been caught doing something inappropriate.

“I am very disappointed in both of your behavior in class today,” the instructor said crisply. “What do you have to say for yourselves?”

“Sorry,” said Uzzi, failing to look sincere.

“Sorry,” Alex murmured. He kept his head down. 

The instructor harrumphed. “Alexiel, when your brother was in my class, he and his two friends were a near constant interruption to my lessons. I will not tolerate the same behavior from you. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Instructor,” Alex replied. 

“When I ask you a question in class, I expect an answer. Don’t think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re an Ahnnak.” 

Alex nodded, because didn’t trust his voice to work. He didn’t like being yelled at by adults. He felt a knot in his throat like he was going to start crying.

“Excuse me, Instructor,” said Uzzi, “but Alex isn’t supposed to talk about his dad. He’s an Isten, and he’s doing important work with germination-”

“Genetics,” Alex corrected softly.

“Er, yeah, genetics. And Alex can’t talk about him, cause what if he accidentally slips and tells the Isten’s secrets? He’d be in trouble. So would whoever demanded he talk.”

The instructor regarded Uzzi with suspicion. The fiery boy was trying his hardest to act serious and polite, but there was always this buzz of energy about him, like he couldn’t bear to remain calm. It made Uzzi seem insincere, even when he meant what he said. 

“I demanded nothing of an Ahnnak except the common courtesy I expect of all students attending Archridge,” announced the instructor. She scowled sternly at them both. “Next time, I will not be so lenient with any disruptions to my class. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Instructor,” both boys answered.

“Go back to your seats now.” She ushered them back into the class. “Do quiet reading on chapter two, then begin work on the essay due at the start of class tomorrow.” 

After returning to their desks, Alex and Uzzi sat and began reading chapter two, _The Polarity of Geomagnetic Ley Lines and Soul Guidance_. The instructor watched them for a moment, just to make sure they were going to behave, then began writing out notes in chalk on the slateboard for her afternoon classes.

While Alex read, he glanced at Uzzi from the corner of his eye. He considered what he could do to thank Uzzi for helping him. Uzzi never complained when he got in trouble because of Alex. He was always there for him, without Alex ever needing to ask. Alex felt like he owned his friend something. He just didn’t know what.

They hadn’t been seated long before Uzzi began to fidget. His leg bounced as he stared blankly at the first page of the book. Alex realized Uzzi hadn’t actually read any of the words. The fiery Terran had trouble focusing on any reading assignments that didn’t deal specifically with military tactics or fiends. 

Suddenly, Alex knew how he could help. He tapped Uzzi’s leg, and when his friend looked at him, he signed, _I’ll help you write the essay tonight._

_Really?_

Nodding, Alex signed, _To apologize for getting you in trouble and to thank you for helping me._

_You don’t have to do that,_ Uzzi signed back. 

_I want to._

Uzzi grinned at him. His smile made Alex feel warm, deep down in his gut. Before he could think on that feeling too much, the instructor turned around. Alex and Uzzi both quickly resumed reading while the instructor scanned the classroom. She made sure all the students were studying, as she expected them to be, then took a seat at her desk.

Though he probably wouldn’t get in trouble for having food in the classroom now, Alex waited until the instructor began working on the papers at her desk to reach into his satchel. He pulled out the small loaf of bread he had tucked inside this morning. Breaking it in half, he offered one of the two pieces to Uzzi. His friend accepted it with another warm grin, and Alex didn’t even care that he was still hungry when the class ended.


	3. Barachiel: 11th Degree of Beasts, 596 DE

Barach leaned against the stone wall in the advanced curriculum lounge with Erem. His boyfriend had one of his knives out and was picking dirt out from under his nails with the sharp tip. Barach nudged him, motioning for him to put the blade away. Erem wrinkled his nose, but did it. It wouldn’t do to draw unnecessary attention to themselves now, though soon, Barach imagined it would be unavoidable.

The advanced curriculum lounge was a nice room. Clean. Well designed. New furniture for use by all the students who were good enough to be in the advanced classes. It was nicer than any of the lounges on the other floors, but Barach and Erem weren’t there to relax. They were waiting.

Last year, Gabriel had been dumb. Too many times, his failed attempts to manipulate people for his grades put him in danger. His careless disregard of his own well being let a lot of Terran and Homm exploit him for their own gain, and Barach refused to let it happen again.

Barach couldn’t stop Gabriel from using other students to cheat. He tried, but the silver-haired Ahnnak was as stubborn as he was self-destructive. Barach had had more luck talking sense to the beasts in the stables. 

What Barach could stop was the harassment Gabriel received from the students who had been jilted. The ones who thought they were still entitled to an Ahnnak heir’s time even after he broke it off with them.

Like Tephrin, who Barach and Erem were meeting today.

The Terran girl was one of the biggest issues Gabriel acquired last year. Tephrin had taken it upon herself to organize a sort of fan club for the Silver Prince, which she led and managed. Most of the academy students who admired Gabriel followed Tephrin’s rules for interacting with him. Her authority was absolute, helped by the fact that she was willing to enforce her rules with caustic chemicals whenever she felt the need. 

Tephrin was dangerous. She refused to leave Gabriel alone, no matter what Barach said. He had tried talking to her. He made it clear, in very plain words, that she was to stay away from Gabriel. She just laughed. Tephrin thought he was joking, even though he towered over her and could have snapped her in half. He had been tempted at the time, but he let her go. 

Until now. 

Gabriel told Tephrin he would meet her in the lounge after class today. “Just to talk,” he said, but of course he wasn’t there. Tephrin showed up right on time. 

The Terran girl flipped her long hair over her shoulders with a haughty flourish, then scanned the room, searching for Gabriel. Her gaze fell on Barach, and instantly, her expression soured. She stomped over. 

“What are you doing here?” Tephrin demanded. “You’re not in AC classes. You can’t be here.”

“I’m here to talk,” Barach said, looking down at her. She was shorter than Erem, but she faced the two Ahnnak boys without fear.

That annoyed Barach. She should be afraid.

“I’m not interested in anything else you have to say,” Tephrin announced. “The Prince is mine.”

Barach could feel Erem at his side, barely restraining his anger. “He doesn’t belong to you,” Erem snapped. 

Tephrin looked at Erem as if she just noticed he was there. Her lip twitched in a disgusted sneer. “Like I care what you think. If either of you bother me again, I’m going to report you to the Headmaster.”

Barach crossed his arms over his chest. He refused to let some Terran girl try to intimidate him. He glared down at her. “Gabriel is done with you,” he said firmly. “If you impose yourself on him in any manner, you will regret it.”

Tephrin laughed. “Who do you think you are? His bodyguards?”

“Yes,” Barach replied.

She laughed again, but Erem, who found a lot of joy in threatening Gabriel’s ex-partners, shot forward. He grabbed a fistful of the Terran girl’s long hair and jerked her head to the side. 

“Ow!” Tephrin cried, her head tilted at an angle. She had barely begun to struggle when she saw the glint of silver in Erem’s hand. She gasped and went perfectly still.

“Keep your filthy Terran hands off him,” Erem hissed, pointing one of his smaller carving knives at her face.

Her eyes didn’t move away from the blade. “Okay. Yes,” she conceded meekly.

Erem snarled. The blade in his hand flashed through the air, and the girl fell back with a shriek. She landed on the floor in an undignified heap, patting her face and neck for any sign of injury. It wasn’t until she looked back to Erem that she realized what he’d done to her.

Opening his hand, Erem let the thick fistful of the girl’s long hair fall to her feet. Her trembling fingers touched the sheared, jagged bob he left her with on one side. 

Erem pointed the knife at her again. “Next time, I make you bleed,” he promised.

Tephrin stared up at Erem while he concealed his blade, but as soon as the weapon was out of sight, her eyes filled with tears. She started crying. Anyone in the lounge who hadn’t been paying attention before turned to watch now.

Without pity for the girl, Barach took Erem and left.

***

“Oh, you should have seen her face!” Erem crowed when they got back to Gabriel’s room. 

They had entered without knocking, and as usual, they had to wait for some flustered girl to dress herself and scamper out of the room before they could talk. 

Gabriel remained on his bed, rubbing his temple. He had his shirt off, and there were several dark hickeys across his pale chest. He sat with a knee bent so the loose fabric of his pants hid his erection. “Is it too much to ask that you knock?” he asked irritably. 

With a cheeky smirk, Erem flopped down on the bed beside him. “Oh, did we interrupt something?”

“Yes.” Gabriel glared down at him. Erem just grinned. When he saw that it was pointless, Gabriel sighed and asked, “So, how did it go?”

With excitement, Erem recounted their interaction with Tephrin. He only embellished a little, mostly about how scared she’d been. Gabriel looked to Barach at the end of Erem’s story for confirmation.

“I think she’ll leave you alone for a while,” Barach said, “but I’ll keep an eye on her.”

Gabriel nodded. He swung his feet off his bed and got up, walking into his bathing room. He shut the door behind him. Barach relaxed on a plush chair in the corner to wait for his friend. It was nearly time for dinner. They could all go down together.

For fourth year AC classes, Gabriel had been given a larger room. His bath had a full inset tub, as well as the standard shower. His living space fit a bed, a desk, a small dining table with benches, and a comfortable reading chair beneath a electrically generated light. Gabriel had built the electrical generator himself, though where he’d found the fragile filament bulb, Barach didn’t know. 

It was a comfortable room, which Barach and Erem often found themselves visiting, despite Gabriel’s irritation at having them over. He always said he was studying, but more often than not, it was a scene like today.

Barach tried to remember the girls’ faces, in case he had to deal with them later, but it was difficult keeping track. There were too many.

After a few minutes, Gabriel came back out with his hair combed and his face washed. He went to his closet and started getting dressed.

While he watched Gabriel, Barach asked, “Who was the girl?”

Gabriel’s wing twitched in annoyance, but he answered with a straight face. “Met her in the hall after class. She wanted my autograph.”

“So you offered your dick instead?” 

Gabriel shot Barach a dirty look over his shoulder. “No. Clearly, she didn’t get anything from me, since you two barged in.”

“But she would have.” 

“Drop it, Barach.” Gabriel tightened his shirt across his stomach. “I’m not going to fight with you about this again.”

“I told you, I’m not going to let you trade your body for grades anymore.” Barach stood up and approached Gabriel. Erem was watching them from the bed, his yellow eyes bright, but he remained silent. 

Gabriel spun around, glaring up at Barach with fierce blue eyes. “I’m not going to let Alex get hurt again.”

Barach gazed down at his friend. At fifteen, Gabriel had lost most of the softness of his youth. His once round cheeks were fading away, leaving him with sharp cheekbones and a strong jaw that was nearly always set in a stubborn scowl. His lean arms and chest had begun to reveal muscle definition earned from many reluctant hours spent sparring with Barach in the enclave. 

Gabriel may have been late to start maturing, but he was certainly making up for it now. He was deceptively strong, painfully beautiful, and Barach could still kick his ass if he had to.

“Alex will be fine,” said Barach. “And I’m not telling you that you can’t study with other people. I don’t even care if you cheat. I’m just asking that you don’t do it in exchange for sex.”

“Oh, you’re asking now, are you?” Gabriel scoffed. “Because lately it sounds like you’re telling me I can’t sleep with anyone. Am I supposed to be celibate now? Or are you going to suck my cock for me, Barach?”

“I’ll do it,” said Erem, piping up from the bed. 

At the same time, both Gabriel and Barach looked over and snapped, “Shut up, Erem.”

The blue-skinned grinned. “Just a joke,” he said, though no one believed it.

Barach forced himself to turn his attention back to Gabriel. He was irritated by his boyfriend’s blatant eagerness to sleep with their friend. Just because Gabriel had no interest in returning Erem’s feelings, physical or otherwise, didn’t make it any easier to bear to see Erem lust after him. 

Some of Barach’s irritation slipped out in his clipped word as he said, “I don’t care who you fuck, Gabriel, just don’t do it because you think you’re somehow being noble by sacrificing yourself for some Terran you’re only half bonded to.”

Gabriel’s wings bristled. “Alex isn’t a Terran.”

“What else would he be? You don’t know who his father is, but no Ahnnak would risk the dishonor of producing a child with the wife of an Isten. That’s madness.”

Angrily, Gabriel stomped past Barach to the door. He stopped to pull on his boots, clearly ticked off, but remaining silent.

Barach crossed his arms over his chest. He watched him for a moment, then said, “Face it, Gabriel, in a couple centuries, he’ll be gone, and it won’t matter how much pain and torment you put yourself through.”

After he yanked on his boots, Gabriel flipped his silver hair back from his face and straightened. “Fuck you, Barach,” he snapped, his blue eyes flashing with fury. “I’m going to dinner.” He flung open the door and stormed out of the room.

Erem bounced off the bed and ran after him. “Wait up, Gabriel!” he called. Barach remained in the room alone for a few minutes, debating if he really wanted to follow either of them. 

Barach sighed. What other choice did he have? He left the room, activated the locking ward, and followed them down to dinner.


	4. Gabriel: 11th Degree of Beasts, 596 DE

Somehow, Gabriel made it through dinner without getting into another argument with Barach. Probably because they didn’t speak to each other for the entire meal. Erem made up for their silence by starting an animated discussion with Zoldias about having seen a sarcosuchus.

“A what?” 

“You know, the water reptile that killed the Isten Ahshtoret during the early years of Ter, before E’din was formed.”

Zoldias sucked in a sharp breath. “Oh shit. Seriously? You saw one?”

Erem nodded. “Its head was as long as this table.”

“No way,” Zoldias scoffed. “Man, if I ever showed up to a Hunt and that was the beast we had to take out, I would just die. I wouldn’t even try. I’d just walk up to its mouth and climb in. Done. I can’t believe you saw one.”

“It’s true,” Erem said, which was nearly a lie. Erem’s father, the Isten Harut, had the skull of one displayed at his lakeside estate. The beast’s skull was impressive enough on its own, but of course Erem had to embellish the story.

Gabriel zoned out on Erem’s buzz of lies as he spun the tale of seeing the beast on a river bank while traveling with his father outside of E’din. None of it was believable, but Zoldias, as well as a few other Huntsmen at the table, remained thoroughly entertained.

Shoving the last of his food in his mouth, Gabriel stood up. He held out a hand, stopping Barach when he started to rise, too. The older Ahnnak watched him, half poised to stand anyway, while Gabriel finished chewing.

“Stay,” Gabriel said, after he gulped down a mouthful he probably should have chewed a few more times. “I’m just going out to the hall to get some fresh air.”

Barach sat back down. He watched Gabriel with dark eyes, full of suspicion, but at least he didn’t say anything in front of the Hunt. He picked up a piece of food from his half eaten tray and popped it in his mouth, never breaking eye contact.

Gabriel understood. He had until Barach finished eating his meal, and then the older Ahnnak would come find him. From the hard glint in Barach’s eyes, Gabriel could tell that if he wasn’t where Barach expected him to be, Barach would track him down and make him regret lying.

Scowling, Gabriel left. He walked passed the long tables filled with Huntsmen. He tried not to look as irritated as he was, but his friends were so aggravating. 

After the end of last year, Barach started acting like he was solely responsible for Gabriel’s safety. He interfered with everything, he never listened when Gabriel wanted to be left alone, and he meddled in all the relationships Gabriel tried to establish for the new year. Half the girls Gabriel tried to study with were too scared of Barach showing up and kicking them out to come over to Gabriel’s room. It was a major inconvenience.

Sure, it was kind of nice having someone else deal with the people who pushed back against Gabriel’s decisions, like Tephrin, but Gabriel could have handled her on his own. He didn’t need Barach, he just didn’t know how to get him to back off.

As Gabriel walked by one section of the tables, Vivi glanced up, met his eye, and then quickly looked away. Even though Gabriel had broken up with the Terran boy as soon as their new classes started, Vivi still ate with the Hunt. He’d grown close to Ku-Vox and Mikkon last year, and he sat with them. 

Vivi had been really upset when Gabriel told him he didn’t need his help in class anymore. The Terran didn’t understand why they couldn’t still see each other, but Gabriel simply didn’t have time for him, not with everything else going on.

Of all the people Gabriel had to break up with, Vivi was the most difficult. The guilt still remained in Gabriel’s chest when he saw him, but maybe that was just because the Terran boy had been stabbed protecting him. The guilt didn’t change the fact that Vivi would probably never speak to him again, but that was fine. Gabriel didn’t need him anymore. 

He walked by with his chin raised and his eyes forward. 

Gabriel nearly reached the end of the stretch of tables the Hunt used, when a hand shot out and grabbed his arm. Wings snapping out, Gabriel glared at whoever would be brazen enough to touch him.

_Lorcas_.

“Where’s Sera?” Gabriel asked, his voice cold.

“In bed. She wasn’t feeling well after her shot this afternoon.” Lorcas didn’t let go of Gabriel’s arm. Some of the other Huntsmen at the table were watching. Barach probably was too, from the other end of the dining hall, though this was the one person he wouldn’t interfere with.

They owed Lorcas. Both Gabriel and Barach. Without his help, Tassin’s death would have been traced back to Barach. The motive for his murder probably would have been discovered, too.

As Captain of the Wild Hunt, Lorcasiel was well known as a highly skilled and insightful tracker. His Isten had loaned him to the Headmaster for all his tracking needs, and Lorcas dutifully served as Archridge Academy’s official incident investigator. No one had any reason to doubt his word when he said Tassin fell. 

It helped that there was no one who really missed the dead Homm, either.

Still, though they were indebted to Lorcas, that didn’t mean Gabriel had to like him.

“Let go of me,” Gabriel said. He tried to pull his hand away, but Lorcas didn’t release him.

“I want to talk,” said the Huntsman.

“I don’t want to talk to you.” The moment Gabriel thought about using electricity to make Lorcas release him, the Huntsman let go. He always did that. Gabriel had never been able to hurt him, even when he wanted to.

Gabriel turned and kept walking. He was about half way out of the dining hall when he heard Lorcas’ footsteps running to catch up, and then the Huntsman was beside him. 

“Where are you going?” Lorcas asked.

“Out.”

“Aw, don’t be grumpy, baby.”

Gabriel bristled. “Stop calling me that!”

Lorcas paused for a moment, and then chased after him again. They left the dining hall, and the cool spring air came with a refreshing burst of wind. It smelled like rain.

Gabriel walked over to the stone railing and leaned out. He took a few deep breaths, trying to clear his mind. Lorcas leaned on the railing beside him. 

“You’re mad at me still,” he said.

“I’m not mad at you. I hate you. Nothing changed.” Gabriel’s words were too sharp to come off as the truth. He did hate Lorcas, but it was difficult. When he was with the Huntsman, he didn’t have to pretend to be anyone else. Lorcas saw through his facade. Being with him felt different.

“Sera will come around eventually,” said Lorcas.

“No, she won’t. And she has no reason to. You’ve made it clear that you love her, and she’s made it clear that she doesn’t want me anywhere near you.”

After the championship game of the Winter Hunt, Sera and Lorcas made up. As soon as they were back together, Gabriel tried to stop his late night visits to the Huntsman’s room. He didn’t belong there. He knew he didn’t. And it felt wrong to intrude on their lives.

But then, Sera found him in the lounge. Gabriel was studying in there while academy custodians replaced his damaged door. He knew he was going to have trouble as soon as he saw her, but he knew he deserved her anger, too.

Gabriel really didn’t have anything to say to defend himself, so he just stood before Sera and listened to her yell. A lot of what she said hurt, and it wasn’t because she called him names. She had trusted him, considered him one of her friends, and he had betrayed her. 

“What makes it worse,” Sera said, her eyes filled with frustrated tears, “is that, unlike all the times Lorcas felt like he couldn’t say no after a Hunt, he chose to be with you. It wasn’t some meaningless fling, no matter what excuses you two use to justify it.”

She was right, of course. The only relief to her words came when she slapped Gabriel. The sting of pain overwrote the guilt that threatened to overwhelm him, and he’d been able to grab his books and leave without breaking down.

Since then, he’d done whatever he could to avoid Lorcas. The Huntsman didn’t make it easy. 

“The more you run from me, the more I want to chase you,” Lorcas said. “Come back to my room with me.”

“Go take care of your girlfriend,” Gabriel replied. He stared out into the fissure between the two sides of the academy, watching the bright white wings of other students against the dark grey storm clouds above. 

“Sera wants to rest tonight. I already brought her dinner and made her some ice packs. Some of her friends are stopping by later to check on her, but she just wants to sleep.”

Gabriel shook his head. “You know she’s going to hear about you following me out here.” Sera’s friends, many of whom ate with the Hunt, wouldn’t hesitate to tell her.

“So? We’re just talking.” Lorcas smirked at Gabriel. “For now.”

“Lorcas, I’m not going to your room tonight,” Gabriel said firmly.

“We wouldn’t have to go to my room,” said Lorcas, a flash of mischief in his grey eyes. “I could just drag you over to that hallway, pin you down, and fuck you now. Let you struggle to keep your voice down so no one walking by turns to see the Silver Prince getting his ass fucked.”

The imagery sent a rush of blood to Gabriel’s groin. He took a few carefully controlled breaths and kept his hips turned toward the wall, hoping to hide his sudden and disconcerting arousal from Lorcas. “Barach will be meeting me out here soon,” Gabriel said. He kept his voice low because he didn’t trust his words to be any louder.

“We can let him watch,” said Lorcas cockily. “I’m sure I can show him a few pointers.”

Gabriel glared at him. “No way.”

Lorcas grinned. “I’m joking. Don’t be so serious all the time. We’re just having a little fun. If you’re worried about being loud, I can think of something else we can do to that’ll keep you quiet.” His grey eyes focused on Gabriel’s mouth. 

“No,” Gabriel said, but when Lorcas grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward the hall, he didn’t resist. 

Thunder rumbled in the grey sky, vibrating through the stone where Gabriel knelt. The storm broke. Rain crashed down, muffling Lorcas' moans of pleasure as Gabriel sucked him off. Lightning only lit up the dark hallway once during the several minutes Gabriel remained on his knees before the Huntsman, and for that he was grateful. If anyone had walked by at that moment, they would have been able to see everything.

When Lorcas came, he grabbed a fistful of Gabriel’s silver hair and shoved all the way into his throat. He held the younger boy there, filling his belly and preventing him from spitting any of it back out, even as Gabriel struggled. 

When he finally let go, Gabriel fell back on the stone floor and gasped for air. He coughed, “You asshole!”

Lorcas chuckled and picked Gabriel up off the ground. He brushed his thumb across Gabriel’s lips, wiping some of the remaining moisture away. “Don’t pout. It makes me want to use your mouth again.”

“Fuck you.” Gabriel shoved away from him, but didn’t go far. He was shaking, both with anger and because part of him had enjoyed being treated so roughly. His own cock throbbed, nearly on the verge of release, though it had been entirely ignored.

Humiliated by his body’s response, Gabriel focused on smoothing his hair back down. There were knots where Lorcas had tangled his hair in his fist. Gabriel would need a comb to get it to lay completely smooth.

Lorcas walked up behind him. “Don’t be mad, baby,” he murmured. He brushed Gabriel’s silver hair aside and kissed his neck. “Come up to my room tonight. I’ll take care of you.”

Gabriel’s wings gave a weak flutter, bumping against the Terran as his mouth pressed to his skin. He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation until the Huntsman’s words sunk in.

“Wait, tonight?”

“Mmhm.” He placed another kiss on Gabriel’s pale neck. 

“What am I supposed to do about this now?!” Gabriel spun around, facing the Huntsman and pointing at his obvious erection.

With a devious smirk, Lorcas said, “Well, I can take care of it now, if you want, but I think we’re going to have an audience soon.” His grey eyes flicked toward the opening of the hallway, and when Gabriel looked, he saw an edge of fabric peeking around the corner that hadn’t been there before. 

“ _Shit,_ ” Gabriel said with a frustrated groan. “It’s Barach.”

The Huntsman chuckled. “You better run along to your chaperon, baby.” He swatted Gabriel’s butt, making the younger boy jump. “See you tonight?”

Gabriel glared at him. “Fuck no.” 

With a knowing smile, Lorcas left him and walked out of the hall. After Gabriel adjusted his clothes to hide the state of his body, he followed. 

At the opening of the hallway, Barach was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his broad chest. Lightning flashed, illuminating his face. He looked pissed. 

Lorcas grinned at him. “Barach.”

“I told you to keep your hands off him,” said the serious Ahnnak.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” replied Lorcas. He gave Barach a quick salute, then strode confidently toward the dining hall.

Barach glared after Lorcas until the Captain of the Hunt turned the corner. Then, those dark, judgmental eyes focused on Gabriel. 

“Leave it,” Gabriel snapped, glad the hall was dim enough to hide the flush to his skin. “Where’s Erem?”

“Still talking with Zoldias.” He inclined his head toward the hall Gabriel and Lorcas had emerged from. “What was that about?”

“I said leave it, Barach.” Gabriel turned and started walking toward the foyer. “Mind your own fucking business.”

“Fiends take you, Gabriel.” Barach pushed off the wall and followed after him. “How do you think this is going to work out?”

“I don’t!” Gabriel yelled. “Nothing is working out, because nothing is going on!” 

“You can’t lie to me when I can smell him on your breath.”

Gabriel glared sharply at Barach. “Just leave me alone. If I wanted your opinion, I would ask for it.”

Barach’s eyes narrowed. “You going to him tonight?”

“No. I’m going to study. Isn’t that what you want me to do?”

“Then you won’t mind if I sit with you.”

“Oh, fuck off, Barach. I don’t need a matron.” 

“You need common fucking sense, is what you need, Gabriel.” 

With a snarl, Gabriel said, “You’re just jealous of him, because if you had fucked me when I gave you the chance, we wouldn’t be in this situation. Instead you went and killed a Homm.” 

Barach’s expression darkened. There was a twitch to his wing than Gabriel recognized as barely contained anger. 

“Just leave me alone,” Gabriel said, softening his voice. He took a step back. “Just give me some space for tonight, alright? That’s all I’m asking.” He backed up until he was out of Barach’s reach, then turned and flew out into the pouring rain. 

Drenched, Gabriel landed near the advanced curriculum dorms. He was relieved to find that he was alone and Barach hadn’t followed him through the storm.

***

For his part, Gabriel did try to study that night. He showered and warmed up, then sat with his books and worked on the assignments due next week. It was well past curfew when he finally gave up. For the last five minutes, he’d been starting at the same paragraph of text, and it still didn’t make sense.

Gabriel told himself he was just going for a walk. He was just stepping out for a few minutes to stretch his arms and wings. But, of course, he ended up at Lorcas’ room.

The Huntsman opened the door before Gabriel even knocked. They looked at each other a moment, then Lorcas smiled. He stepped back, inviting Gabriel into his room without a word.

The silver-haired boy entered. The door clicked shut and locked behind him.


	5. Barachiel: 15th Degree of Beasts, 596 DE

It only took Tephrin to the end of the week to report Barach and Erem. When they showed up to the Headmaster’s office for their reprimand, Erem took the blame, since he’d been the only one to touch the Terran girl. Iscriel didn’t question Erem’s guilt, or his motives behind it. The two of them had a long history of butting heads, back from when Erem used to pull pranks with Gabriel. Erem had never quite grown out of it, and he still got routine detention for ‘anti-authoritarian behavior,’ as the instructors were fond of calling it.

Erem just didn’t like obeying rules that were put in place for Terran and Homm, not Ahnnak like them.

While Erem was in the disciplinary office, Barach stood outside in the hall. He leaned against the stone banister beside the gap. The afternoon sun was hot, blazing down on his white feathers, despite it being the middle of spring. He opened his wings to bask in the heat while he waited.

It didn’t take long. Punishments at the academy were efficient, no-nonsense proceedings. What couldn’t be taken care of in class was completed in the disciplinary office by a heavy-handed enforcer. Erem walked out of the office with a limp. “Stupid executioner has it in for me,” he muttered when Barach went to him. 

“How bad is it?” asked Barach. He wanted to pick Erem up and carry him, but he didn’t know if it would hurt him too much.

“I won’t die,” said Erem. He gave Barach an exaggerated pout. “But it’s not as fun as when you spank me.”

He was fine.

Barach scooped his boyfriend into his arms. He tried not to find too much enjoyment in the way Erem gasped and clung to him, but since they’d been called up to the office after lunch, everyone else was still in class. There were no other students around to see them together. Not that Barach would have cared. He still would have carried Erem, though he probably wouldn’t have let the blue-skinned boy press his face against Barach’s neck and whimper like that.

As gently as he could, Barach returned Erem to their room. They didn’t have a roommate this year. Either the administration gave up trying to assign one to them, or their classmates figured that it was pointless to try. Barach took Erem in and laid him on the bed. “I’m going to get water and towels,” he said.

“I can summon water,” Erem replied. His face pinched with pain as he stretched out on his stomach. 

“Just relax. I’ll be right back.” Barach picked up the ceramic ewer and went down the hall to the eleventh year shared baths. He filled the ewer with hot water, grabbed a dozen small towels, and then returned to the room. He wasn’t gone long, and when he returned, he found that Erem hadn’t moved at all. Maybe he was hurt worse than he was letting on. 

Barach sat the ewer and the towels beside their bed. He touched Erem’s cheek. Yellow eyes turned toward him and Erem softly smiled. 

“You’re warm,” the blue-skinned boy said. 

“I stood in the sun while I was waiting for you. Does it bother you?”

“Feels good,” he murmured and closed his eyes. Erem always ran on the cool side, and seemed to be able to maintain that temperature no matter how cold the air or water got around him. He didn’t like excessive heat, but as Barach carefully began undressing him, Erem’s sore body relaxed under his sun-warmed touch. 

Barach couldn’t hold energy within him like other Ahnnak or Terran. Whatever ability that required, if Barach had ever had it, was destroyed in the aftermath of the auroch attack. His mother had taken him home, but he hadn’t been healing properly, even with the help of medics. That year, they had to cut his chest open and rearrange his organs over and over, sometimes removing them completely to repair abnormal growth. He suffered months of helpless agony until he finally started healing as he should, but he was never the same. 

His body adapted. He absorbed residual energy from the air around him. Barach was able to reliably freeze a cup of water, ignite kindling, or power a mercury light. It was enough that he could pass his science classes without intervention from his mother.

However, Barach also wasn’t able to stop absorbing energy. He could open himself up and take in more, but he could never turn it off completely. Any energy he absorbed, if it wasn’t quickly channeled back out of him, converted to raw kinetic energy. It saturated his muscles, leaving him restless and jittery. He had to do some sort of physical activity to expend it, or he began to feel like he would explode. 

That, or hit someone.

During the early years, Gabriel and Erem endured the brunt of Barach’s disability. After he began working in the stables, it got easier for all of them. Through the years, his friends remained at his side as he discovered his limitations, just as they were there to push him to develop further. Without them, his strength meant nothing. 

All he wanted was to protect them.

Fifteen dark purple welts crossed Erem’s back, butt, and thighs. Barach carefully stretched Erem’s wings to the sides, then cleaned his boyfriend’s skin just as Erem had done for him after his own whipping several months ago. 

“You’re so gentle when you feel guilty,” Erem said, keeping his eyes shut. His face looked relaxed, even as Barach dabbed at the one welt that bled.

“You shouldn’t have taken the blame alone.”

“We talked about this. We knew she would tell eventually.”

“I still don’t like seeing you hurt.” 

Erem wiggled his butt. “It’s not so bad, not when I’ve got you taking care of me after.”

“I’ll always take care of you.” Barach placed a warm kiss against the bruised flesh of his boyfriend’s squirming ass. Erem went still and made a small, pleased sound of encouragement. 

Barach couldn’t say no to him. He dropped the towel, moved onto the bed, and knelt between Erem’s legs. Gradually, starting at the lowest welts on Erem’s thighs, Barach kissed and licked his way up his boyfriend’s body.

Erem gave a satisfied sigh. “The look on her face was totally worth it,” he said as Barach’s gentle kisses covered his bruised thighs and buttocks.

“Next time, I’ll take the blame.” Barach pressed his mouth to the small of Erem’s back, then firmly sucked and licked his way lower. 

“No. You can’t get in trouble with the Hunt ag-” Erem’s words cut off with a gasp. 

Barach’s tongue had followed Erem’s crease down, until he found the warm entrance of his boyfriend’s body. Barach plunged his tongue in, burying his face in the bruised, soft mounds of his boyfriend’s ass.

“Oh… right there…” Erem moaned. “Your tongue feels so good…” 

For the rest of the afternoon, Barach did his best to distract his boyfriend from the pain received by the whipping. By the time he was done with Erem, the blue-skinned boy barely seemed to remember he’d been punished at all. Erem passed out in a satisfied sprawl on the bed.

Erem would need food later, but for now, he needed rest. Barach covered him with a light blanket, kissed his forehead, and quietly left the room. He’d come back to wake him up for dinner, but until then, he had some extra energy he needed to burn off.

***

Barach pounded twice on Gabriel’s door. He waited a moment, and then hit it again.

“Go away,” came the irritable voice from within. 

“Open the door, Gabriel,” he called.

“Fuck you,” came his friend’s reply.

Barach scowled. “Your new ward only covers a cubit of space around the lock. I can still kick your door down and snap it off the its hinges if you’re not going to open it.” 

There was shuffling from within, then Barach heard the door unlock. A brief flash followed as the ward deactivated. The door opened slightly, but Barach had to push it open further to enter.

Surprisingly, Gabriel was alone in the room. He had already returned to his desk, and was sitting hunched over a stack of books. His silver hair was pinned back from his face, but his rigid wings remained open behind him.

“Come up to the enclave with me,” Barach said as he entered.

“Fiends take you, Barach. I’m studying.”

“It can wait.”

Gabriel turned toward him, his blue eyes flashing with anger. “No, it can’t. I’ve got three essays due at the beginning of next week and a project on potential Ahn biome designs requiring a minimum of two electric input stations. Not to mention the chromosomal abnormality speech I have to give in science, which of course has to be perfect because of who my damned father is. Do you know how much time it’s going to take me to get all this done?”

“What happened to all your willing accomplices?” Barach flung himself into the chair and kicked his legs up over the arm. His wings draped over the other side, nearly touching the floor. 

“After what you did to Tephrin, half of them won’t talk to me anymore. They’re scared.”

“Sorry,” Barach said. He examined his nails. He wasn’t sorry at all, but of course Gabriel heard the blatant lie. 

The silver-haired boy’s wings bristled as he got up and stomped over. He glared down at Barach. “Why do you have to interfere with everything?”

Barach looked up at his furious, short-tempered friend. “Erem and I got called into Crispy’s office today.”

Gabriel’s rage faltered. His puffed up wings deflated, gradually lowering. “What did he say?” He still sounded angry, but he was worried, too.

“Erem took the blame. Crispy believed him. He got another week of detention and fifteen lashes.” 

“Is he hurt?” Gabriel couldn’t meet Barach’s eye when he asked. He glanced toward the corner of the room, appearing guilty and miserable.

“I took care of him. He’ll be fine. He’s sleeping now.” Barach stood, stepping in close to Gabriel. The smaller Ahnnak didn’t back up. “You, however, need to get out of this room. Come up to the enclave with me.”

“I need to study.” Gabriel started to turn away, but Barach grabbed his arm. 

“You worry about your grades too much. You need to take a break.” He could see that Gabriel was about to argue more, so Barach added, “I’m not asking.”

Gabriel glared at him, mouth pressed into a thin line. Barach waited for his decision, but the silver-haired boy would be going up to the enclave, even if Barach had to drag him out. Barach was sympathetic to Gabriel’s problems, but he felt like his friend was putting too much pressure on himself. A good fight would ease some of him tension. They would both feel better after.

“Fine,” Gabriel finally relented. “But if I fail any of my assignments, I’m breaking your wrist again.”

Barach huffed. “You can try, but we both know you got a lucky shot.” He let go of Gabriel’s arm, waited briefly for his friend to get ready, then they flew up to the enclave of the Hunt together.


	6. Alex: 21st Degree of Beasts, 596 DE

After the dance class dismissed, Alex remained on stage while the other students left the theater. “Bye, New Moon!” Nenghi cheered before running out the door after one of her other friends. 

“Bye, Froggy.” Alex waved to her. He didn’t mind that she was leaving. He would be fine flying back to the academy on his own, especially because it would be another hour before he was ready to go. Maybe longer, if he lost track of time. 

A few months ago, Instructor Kamberli noticed that Remiel was dropping Alex off in the afternoon, but not picking him up most evenings. 

“He’s visiting his friends,” Alex explained when she asked about it during warm ups. He was balanced only on his hands at the time, in something Kamberli referred to as a swan pose. Legs raised, his toes pointed up at the stage lights behind him, his body held in a rigid line. Alex’s wings stretched straight up from his back, and his whole body trembled, but he didn’t let himself fall. 

“I see. Ah, keep your core tense, Alexiel. Don’t let your legs droop.” She moved on, correcting the posture of the other students, too. They all remained in that position until the last student fell, which was Betr, only because the boy was competitive, and his face was turning red trying to hold the position with Alex. Since Alex hated being the center of attention, he feigned dropping with a grunt, and Betr collapsed immediately after. The boy stood up with a victorious cheer. Alex lay on the stage and watched everyone congratulate him for a while.

He didn’t think much more about Kamberli’s question until she came to him a few days later, when he was getting ready to go back to the academy with Nenghi. “Can I speak to you a moment, Alexiel?” she asked. 

He hesitated, but Nenghi chirped, “I’ll wait for you outside!” and took off. 

Alex stood alone with the dance instructor. “Yes, Instructor?” He adjusted the strap to his bag on his shoulder, holding to it tight.

“Alexiel, you’ve only been practicing dance with us a few months. Most of the other students in my troupe have been with me for years. Even some of their parents, like your friend Nenghi.”

“Yes, Instructor,” said Alex. He didn’t know want she wanted from him. He looked toward the door, eager to leave. He didn’t want to miss dinner at the academy.

“I’ve been watching your improvement,” she said, “and though I know you’ve been trying your best, I feel like you still have a lot to learn before you’re caught up with your friends and classmates. I would like to offer you private lessons, after your regular classes.” 

“Private lessons?” Alex bit his lip and looked up at her.

“It’s something I’m not supposed to offer,” she said, “but it would just be until you’re caught up. I don’t feel like it’s fair to the other students to constantly interrupt their lessons and practices to work with you individually, especially when it’s moves and forms they’ve known for years.”

“Oh.” Alex’s cheeks warmed a little. Had he been that much of a disruption?

“The lessons will be held after your regular classes, just on the nights Remiel isn’t coming to pick you up. That way he doesn’t need to wait unnecessarily for you. Will you be able to fly back to Archridge on your own?”

Alex nodded. He could. He didn’t think Remiel would complain about waiting for him either, but it made sense. If he didn’t have to inconvenience his tutor, he wouldn’t.

Kamberli gave Alex a warm smile. “These lessons will just be you and me, but because it’s considered playing favorites, we need to keep it a secret. Okay?” 

“Yes, Instructor,” he said. 

“Good. I’ll see you tomorrow, Alexiel, and we’ll begin then.” 

Alex ran off to catch up with Nenghi then, hoping she hadn’t left him. She was still there, and when she asked, “What did Kamberli want to talk to you about?” Alex simply replied, “Nothing.” Nenghi didn’t press more, instead going into an excited speech about something Koiel said Betr said Draim said, and though Alex tried to keep up, his head was spinning by the time they arrived back at the academy.

Flying back alone, in silence, was an unexpected benefit of remaining for his extra lesson.

While all the other students cleared out of the theater, Alex sat and ate one of the bundles of food from his satchel. He was done with it much too quick, sucking the last of it from his fingers, when Kamberli walked up. 

“Ready to begin?” she asked.

“Yes, Instructor.” Alex stuffed the wrapping back in his bag and bounced up. Despite his initial hesitation at having private lessons, he had really come to enjoy them. He didn’t realize there was so much he missed out on that the other students already knew.

“So, I know we’ve been working on one of the dual routines,” said Kamberli as she flew back onto the stage, “but I feel like you’re not getting the full effect. I can’t correct your posture if I’m filling in as the second. I hope you don’t mind, but I brought in an assistant to help with the routine today. He’ll be here soon.” 

Still barefoot, Alex followed her across the stage. “An assistant? Is it okay that he knows?” Kamberli had made it clear that these lessons were supposed to be completely secret. Alex hadn’t even told Remiel, at her request.

“He’s a personal friend of mine. He won’t get us in trouble,” she said with a wink. “Okay, first position. Begin.”

Alex fell back into the dance position, keeping his balance centered. Alone, he went through the series of quick kicks and flips, falling back at the times the dance’s partner was supposed to move forward. The timing of the form played like a steady rhythm in his head, and he lost himself in the moves until he finished. 

Someone clapped. Alex spun, looking at a lanky Terran man with a patchy beard across his jaw. He had his thick hair tied back, but it didn’t look like it had been washed in months, if not longer. How long had he been there watching?

“Alexiel, this is Tevrens,” said Kamberli. She held her hand out, inviting the man to come closer. “Tev, this is Alexiel.”

The man smiled as he approached. “Alexiel. Pleased to meet you.” He held out his hand to Alex. “Kam has told me so much about you.” 

Alex took a cautious step back from the extended hand. He looked to his instructor for help.

She smiled kindly and touched Tevrens’ arm, lowering his hand. “Alexiel doesn’t like to be touched,” she said, like she was reminding him. “Alexiel, Tev is a very experienced dancer. He and I trained together in our youth. He knows the dances as well as I do.” 

“Better,” Tevrens said. “Kam wishes she was as good as me.” Kamberli gave Tevrens one of those tight-lipped, disapproving looks she gave the dance students whenever they were getting too wound up. The Terran man laughed. “Alright, alright, maybe she knows a little more. And that’s why she’s your instructor, right?”

Alex watched the Terran with expressionless black eyes. He wasn’t sure if this was a good idea. His instructor may be familiar with the man, but he was still a stranger to Alex.

“Let’s start easy,” said Kamberli. “Just to get a feel for the pattern. Shall we do the Snake’s Game?” 

“Hm?” asked Teverns.

“Third form of the Windshear _dances_ ,” she said, emphasizing the word. 

“Ah, yes,” said the man, nodding as he walked up to Alex. 

Alex frowned and his brow furrowed. He was still unsure, but he stepped into the first position of the dance routine. Tevrens mimicked the pose across from him. 

“Alexiel, you will be the snake, with the first move. Tev, the mouse, in response. Begin,” said Kamberli.

Taking a deep breath, Alex began the smooth dance. Tevrens responded to his moves with more grace than his lanky form seemed capable of. He knew the dance well, and was where he was supposed to be at the right moments. His control was sharp, and he never once touched Alex.

“Very good,” Kamberli said as they moved around the stage. “Alexiel, you need to keep your wings open during the snake’s forward movements. It’ll help with your balance.” 

“Yes, Instructor.” Alex corrected his posture. He knew to keep his wings open, it was just hard to remember while facing the strange man. 

Alex and Tevrens finished that dance with a formal bow to one another. Kamberli nodded approvingly and said, “That went very well. Let’s do the Crane Dance next. Eighth form. No contact. Begin.” 

They continued practicing the routines, and Alex gradually grew accustomed to Tevrens’ presence. His body relaxed as they moved through the familiar dances Kamberli had taught him. 

Alex lost track of time. He lost track of everything. He just fell into the rhythm of the forms, almost like his body moved on its own.

They were on to the Dance of the Pard, one of Alex’s favorites, when he messed up. He was completely zoned out, flowing through the moves, when he spun and extended his leg in a sharp kick. Except, Tevrens hadn’t dodged like he was supposed to. Alex’s foot collided with the man’s stomach, and Tevrens stumbled back with a grunt.

“I’m so sorry!” Alex exclaimed. He covered his mouth with his hands. 

Bent in half, with his hands on his knees, Teverns took in several deep breaths. Kamberli approached, but he motioned her back. “I’m okay,” he said. “It was my fault.” He straighted, his grimace turning into a grin, and then a laugh. “Fiends, you’re fast, kid.”

“Are you hurt?” Alex whispered. His wings tightened against his back. He didn’t want to hurt anyone.

“Nah. I just underestimated you. Come on, let’s do it again.” He stepped into one of the starting dance positions, bouncing on his toes with his fists raised before him. “Let’s do freeform sparring. I want to see you move in a real figh-”

“Tevrens!” Kamberli snapped. “It’s late. This _dance class_ is over.”

Like he’d been caught doing something wrong, the Terran man lowered his hands and stilled. “Right. Sorry.” 

Kamberli turned to Alex with a warm smile. “You did very well tonight. Your routines are coming along nicely. I think having Tev here helps, even if he talks too much.” She shot the man a dark look that Alex didn’t understand, but her gaze was kind when it returned to Alex. “You’re dismissed, Alexiel. See you tomorrow.”

After injuring Tevrens, Alex was relieved to be done. He gave Kamberli a quick bow. “Thank you, Instructor. Good night.” He grabbed his satchel and pulled on his shoes, not even bothering to lace them before he shot out of the theater. If he was fast enough, he could still get back to the academy in time to join his friends for dinner. 

When Alex arrived in the dining hall, Uzzi stood up on the bench and waved. He yelled something, which Alex couldn’t hear over the clamor of other students. 

The staff member assigned to monitor the dining hall yelled at Uzzi to get down. The fiery boy ignored him until Alex started walking his way. Then Uzzi hopped down and met Alex part way down the aisle. 

“I got a tray for you already,” he said. 

“You did?”

Uzzi nodded. “I knew you’d be back soon. I got you lots of rotika.” 

Alex couldn’t help but grin at his friend. He followed him back to the table and sat with Uzzi, Isa, Mace, and Phrasa. Pushing all thoughts of dance and strange Terrans from his mind, Alex enjoyed his meal with his friends. 

***

Late that night, Alex had a dream. 

It started off normal enough. Hiding in shadows, watching dark figures lope by, trying to stay out of reach of their clawed hands. Alex kept moving, because even though he wanted to curl up into a ball and disappear, if he didn’t keep moving, they would find him. 

_Teeth and claws tearing at his skin, sinking into his body until there was nothing left but misery and pain._

At least, that’s what it felt like would happen if they ever caught him. They never did. He’d had this dream a hundred times, and he was good at hiding.

Expect, even as he thought that, dodging around another dark corner to escape the gnashing flat teeth of hidden shadow, he saw a light.

Strange.

Light didn’t belong in his dreams. 

Alex moved toward it, and even from that distance, because it was just a tiny pinprick very far away, he could feel its warmth. He could feel the heat on his skin, melting the shadows from his body. Every step he took closer left him bare and exposed, but he didn’t stop. 

He couldn’t ever remember feeling anything this good in a dream before.

“Uzzi?” Alex asked when he reached the swirling red and yellow point of light. He knew, even before the shapeless being turned around. 

Uzzi smiled at him. He was bigger in Alex’s dream. The heat that poured off him surrounded him in a haze of light that chased all the other shadows away. He reached out his hand, and Alex stepped toward him.

Alex did as he would never do outside a dream. He leaned in to Uzzi’s touch. He let Uzzi’s warm hands caress his cheeks. Uzzi’s fingertips trailed down Alex’s bare neck and chest like wildfire, the warmth almost too much to stand, but Uzzi wouldn’t hurt him. 

The pleasure radiated though Alex in waves. It filled him, and he wondered if anything had ever felt so good before.

Uzzi stepped into Alex’s body, surrounding him with fire. His touch fell between Alex’s legs, and instead of telling him no, as he should have, he said, “Yes.”

“Beg for it,” came a voice, not Uzzi’s, not Alex’s, but it was there, as it had always been there. 

_Jequn_.

“Please,” Alex said obediently, even as a spike of fear rammed through his chest, pinning him to the dirt and decay of the ground at his back. “Please,” he said again. Uzzi’s light diminished, though the pleasure of his touch remained.

“You’ll always be mine,” Jequn’s voice said. Large white hands appeared from the dirt beneath Alex, covering his chest and belly. 

He was restrained. 

Helpless.

Uzzi’s light was gone, but in its place, a silvery glow emerged from the shadows. Jequn stood over him, radiating a cold light. Eyes as unforgiving as stone gazed down at Alex, familiar and terrifying all at once. Everywhere Jequn touched, purple and blue bruises spread across Alex’s skin like ink being dropped in water. 

The ache was familiar. He hated it. How could he have been so dumb to get caught again? He never should have stepped into the light. 

“Mine,” Jequn growled. His large erection jutted from him. He picked Alex up like he was a doll and slid that bulging member between Alex’s legs. It speared Alex’s body, opening him and filling him, until he knew there was nothing else inside him except Jequn. Alex was guided up and down on the man’s shaft, just a tool for his pleasure.

Instead of saying no, like he should have, Alex begged, “Yes.”

Jequn pulled out of Alex. A spray of white fluid splattered Alex’s chest and belly. It coated his skin, marking him as the man had done a hundred times before. The cold sank into him, and Alex knew this was right.

***

Alex woke, black eyes snapping open. The first thing he said was, “No.” The word came loud enough that he could hear it over his frantic pulse, but not so loud that it would wake his roommates. He said it as resistance to the dreams that refused to leave him, and he felt more like himself. 

Near his head was a small light, which he touched, activating the dim phosphor glow. It wasn’t very bright, but it was enough to see the washed out colors of the blanket covering him and the stone ceiling above.

Alex lay there and stared up at the stone. His breathing slowed as he regained control of his senses. 

Only…

There was something damp on his belly. He hadn’t noticed it at first, but it was cooling. Alex flung aside his blanket and looked down. 

His heart stopped.

His shirt had worked its way up while he slept, exposing his stomach. His pants had shifted down on one hip, exposing everything else. A few streaks of white fluid covered Alex’s belly, clinging to his skin as it cooled. 

_No. He wasn’t here. It was just a dream_ , he thought desperately, but the panic overwhelmed him.

Alex screamed.

***

“I’m so embarrassed,” Alex said, covering his face with his hands. 

“It’s alright,” Remiel assured him. “It’s a natural part of growing up.” While he spoke, Remiel finished adding leaves to the teapot. He snapped his fingers over the opening three times, each snap bringing with it a drop in pressure and a burst of cold. Solid ice formed within the teapot, and a light frost coated the exterior. Then, he placed it in Uzzi’s outstretched hands, adding a soft, “Don’t scald the leaves this time,” as he did.

“I know,” grumbled Uzzi. He cradled the teapot in his hands. The frost melted from the exterior of the pot almost instantly. Uzzi was sitting cross-legged beside the pit in their room, close to Alex, but not entering the recessed section of the floor. Alex sat in the pit alone, surrounded with plush pillows and wrapped in the soft blanket Isa had draped over his wings and shoulders after he calmed down. Isa leaned against the wall now, watching quietly.

When Alex started screaming, both his friends woke immediately. Uzzi had tried to calm him, as he’d done a few times before, but Alex had been inconsolable. He had lashed out, refusing to let Uzzi close. Uzzi stayed with Alex while Isa ran out of the room to get Remiel. By the time Isa returned with the older Ahnnak, Alex wasn’t screaming anymore, but he was pressed back in the corner of his bunk, sobbing uncontrollably. 

Remiel quickly figured out what happened. He murmured a soft, “Oh, Alex…” and then helped get him calmed down and cleaned up. 

It was still the middle of the night, but no one appeared to want to go back to sleep, least of all Alex. The teapot quickly came to a boil in Uzzi’s hands, and Remiel poured four cups. He handed one to each of the boys, then sat down in the pit near Alex. He remained close enough to provide comfort, but not so close to set the younger boy on edge.

“How are you feeling?” asked Remiel.

Alex didn’t answer. He stared down at the steaming tea. The heat seeped through the cup and into his hands. He clung to the comfort the warmth provided. 

“You know,” Remiel said, continuing despite Alex’s silence, “you boys are eleven now. Your bodies are starting to change and mature. It’s not uncommon for the increase in hormones to give you dreams that might make you feel really good. It’s natural for your body to respond. It happens to all of us.”

“It wasn’t a good dream.” Alex stared at Remiel over the edge of his cup, through the strands of his disheveled black hair.

Frowning slightly, Remiel said, “Well… dreams can be your mind’s way of dealing with stress. The new and unfamiliar urges your body is developing might get mixed up with that.” He paused and licked his lips, thinking carefully about his words. “It doesn’t mean that whatever you dreamed about is necessarily something you want or enjoy.”

Alex nodded and lowered his gaze. He knew what happened in his dream wasn’t anything he had ever wanted or enjoyed, but it helped to hear Remiel support that. A little of the gnawing ache in Alex’s chest eased. He sipped his hot tea.

“Is it always going to be like this?” Isa asked. He hadn’t said much since he came back with Remiel. Isa just watched Alex, an odd expression on his face. Wariness? Curiosity? Alex wasn’t sure, but any time he looked toward Isa, the other boy quickly looked away.

“I don’t think so,” said Remiel. “You boys were right to come get me, but it was probably just surprising, wasn’t it, Alex?” 

Nodding, Alex said, “I didn’t mean to scream and wake everyone up. I’m sorry.”

“Did it hurt?” asked Uzzi.

“It doesn’t hurt,” Isa scoffed. “Haven’t you done it before?”

Uzzi’s wings bristled, puffing up at the condescending question. “None of your business, you chipped tool,” he snapped.

Remiel held up his hand, urging Uzzi to stay calm. “It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt. When it occurs in your sleep, it’s called a wet dream, and most the time you won’t even know it happened until you wake up.” He lowered his hand and added, “The fluid that comes out is called semen, and it just means that your body is capable of producing a baby with a girl, if you’re not careful.”

“Gross,” Uzzi said, wrinkling his nose. “I never want to have a baby.”

“Like any girl would want to be with you,” said Isa. Uzzi stuck his tongue out at him.

Remiel sighed heavily. “Finish up your tea, boys. You still have class in the morning, and you need to try to get more sleep. Alex, do you want me to stay?”

Alex thought about it for a moment, then he nodded. He felt comfortable with Remiel. Safe. Remiel had never done anything to hurt him, and he was always there to help Alex calm down. 

When Uzzi and Isa climbed back into their beds, Alex and Remiel stayed in the pit. Remiel stretched out on his stomach and folded his arms beneath his head like a pillow. Alex lay beside him, facing the older Ahnnak. One of Remiel’s heavy white wings stretched out and draped across Alex’s head and torso. The feathers muffled all other noise in the room except the sound of Alex’s own heartbeat.

With swirling black eyes, Alex peered out from under Remiel’s feathers. He gazed up at his tutor’s resting face. He could tell Remiel wasn’t asleep yet. He was still too tense. 

“Remi?” Alex whispered as quietly as he could.

“Hm?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, Alex. I’ll always be here for you when you need me. Get some sleep.” 

Alex nodded. He closed his eyes and gradually fell into a dreamless, black sleep.


	7. Gabriel: 6th Degree of Sun and Moon, 596 DE

“I don’t want to go,” Gabriel stated about three hours ago, right after class was over.

“Me, neither,” said Barach. He and Erem had come to meet him in the hall outside his last class.

Erem looked at them both like they were crazy. “It’s a club! Dancing, music- How can you not want to go?”

“I need to study,” said Gabriel. He’d been able to pass all his classes last month, even without a lot of extra help. He just studied every night until his eyes wouldn’t stay open. He was exhausted. He didn’t want to go anywhere.

“We’re going up to the enclave tonight,” said Barach. “Not Marut.”

“Barach,” Erem whined, drawing the name out while he stomped his foot. “I’m tired of watching you fight all the time. I want to have fun.”

“It is fun,” said Barach. “You can spar Zoldias again.” 

Erem pouted. “Pon-Pon said I’m not allowed to fight her Homm anymore.”

“Why?” Barach asked apprehensively.

“Well… I might have forgot he was a Homm and cut his face-”

“Erem!”

“It was just a little cut!” 

“You’re not supposed to _hurt_ them. It’s just practice!”

“It’s not my practice! I only go up there because you make me, and I get bored!”

“That doesn’t mean you start cutting people. I thought you liked Zolidas.”

Erem shrugged. “He’s nice enough, for a Homm. Besides, he asked to spar with me. It isn’t my fault he’s not that good with a blade.” 

“He’s a tracker, he doesn’t have to be.” Barach crossed his arms over his chest. “Don’t cut my teammates, Erem.”

Erem sighed dramatically. “Yeah, alright. I won’t do it again. I should probably apologize to Zoldias tonight.”

Barach nodded. “You’re right. You absolutely should. We’ll go up to the enclave-”

“He won’t be there,” Erem interrupted, a devious glint in his yellow eyes. “He’s the one that invited me to the club, actually. He’s going to be in Marut.”

Barach’s eyes narrowed. “Erem-”

“Please, Barach? We always do what you want to do. I just want to go out and have fun tonight.”

As Barach turned toward him, Gabriel could tell what Barach was going to say before he even opened his mouth. “No,” said Gabriel firmly. “No way. You two go have fun, but I’m staying here.”

And yet, three hours later, there he was, sitting in a converted warehouse at the far edge of Marut, watching people he didn’t like dance.

When they entered the club, they had immediately been assaulted by loud music, the stench of hormones, and the heat of a few hundred bodies packed in together. Erem looked elated. Gabriel and Barach, not so much. 

Somehow, Erem found Zoldias instantly in the packed club. He bounced on his toes and waved to the Homm before making his way over. Gabriel and Barach followed. 

Some drunk Terran bumped into Gabriel once, nearly knocking him down, but Barach shoved the man back. Barach followed close on Gabriel’s wings after that, keeping everyone else at a distance. Normally, Gabriel would mind having Barach act so protective of him, but tonight, he decided it wasn’t worth the argument.

Plus, there were just too many people.

They reached Zoldias, who greeted them with a grin. He shouted to be heard over the music. “You came!” 

Erem tapped the thin scratch on Zoldias’ cheek. “Sorry about that!” he shouted back.

The Homm laughed. “It’s fine! Want a drink?” Erem grinned and followed Zoldias over to the bar.

Gabriel and Barach remained behind. Neither of them had been to a place like this before. Gabriel doubted Erem had either, but the suffocating atmosphere suited the blue-skinned boy. There was an energy in the club, a sense of chaos, like anything could happen. It made Gabriel cautious, and it had Barach on edge, but Erem… He was right in his element.

Erem and Zoldias returned shortly after with drinks. They each carried four, and placed them on an unused table nearby. Zoldias divided them out.

“What is it?” Barach asked. 

“Starhops. It’s a fermentation of yew berries, anise, and wormwood,” said Zoldias. “Those ones are for you. These two are mine. It’s just marula wine.” 

Barach narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Zoldias. “Over half the ingredients you listed are toxic.”

“Well, yeah. That’s why I can’t drink that shit. For all of you, with your fluffy white wings and increased metabolism, it’ll be fine. You’ll get a little drunk, but, hey! That’s the point!”

“I’m not drinking that,” said Gabriel. “It’s poison.”

Erem picked up one of the glasses and immediately drank the whole thing. He tried to appear cool about the taste, but his wings snapped open. He nearly hit Zoldias. “Ugh.” He swallowed hard a couple times. “It’s good,” he gasped.

Gabriel frowned. “Pass.”

Erem picked up another glass. “If I drink all these myself, it’ll probably kill me. But that’s what I’m going to do if you don’t help.”

“Then die,” said the silver-haired boy. Barach’s elbow sharply jabbed Gabriel’s side, making him wince. He glared at Barach as the older Ahnnak picked up one of the drinks. 

“This is all I’m drinking,” said Barach. “Someone needs to keep a clear head tonight.” He drained the glass, and even the stoic, serious Ahnnak had trouble keeping the look of disgust off his face. 

Reluctantly, Gabriel took a glass. He sniffed the alcohol. That was a mistake. It stung the inside of his nose, making his eyes water. This was going to be awful. He drank it fast, then sat the glass down hard on the table. It was worse than he expected. 

Gasping, Gabriel declared, “That’s vile!” It burned all the way down his throat and hit his stomach like fire.

Zoldias laughed. “There are other types of Terran drinks up there, but Hul told me this one tastes the best. He said it’s the Captain’s favorite.”

At the mention of the Captain of the Hunt, Gabriel casually tried to ask, “Does, um, Lorcas come here often?” Barach glared at him. Gabriel ignored the look and pulled another of the glasses closer, though he couldn’t bring himself to drink it yet.

Nodding, Zoldias said, “Yeah, sure. I mean, he’s here now.” The Homm looked toward the dance floor, searched for a moment, and then pointed. “He’s there, with Sera. They come here a lot, at least in the off season.” Gabriel spotted them as soon as Zoldias pointed. 

On the dance floor, their partially open wings giving them some space, Lorcas and Sera danced. Sera spun out, and then twirled back into Lorcas’ arms, her skirts floating delicately around her. She was, by far, the most beautiful girl in the club, and that’s exactly how Lorcas looked at her. The Huntsman pulled her close, their bodies undulating in time with the music, in a dance that could have been considered obscene if they’d been able to press themselves any closer together.

Sera rested her cheek on Lorcas’ shoulder. As they turned, her eyes met Gabriel’s from across the room. He immediately looked away, embarrassed to have been caught staring. His embarrassment quickly shifted to anger. He wasn’t doing anything wrong. Why should he feel bad? 

Gabriel picked up his second glass and drank the Starhops. It was just as disgusting the second time, but it filled him with a sluggish buzz, like his thoughts were being muted. He wanted that. He drank a third, the last one on the table, to Zoldias’ amusement.

“Shit, man, you’re not playing around,” said the Homm. 

“I’m going to the bar. Alone.” The last was directed at Barach. Gabriel turned and stalked away. Fortunately, Barach stayed with Erem, though that was probably only because he was tall enough to watch Gabriel over the heads of most the other people present. 

After Gabriel found a seat at the bar, he dropped a gold coin on the counter and said, “Starhops. Keep them coming.” The bartender raised an eyebrow, but didn’t question him. He palmed the gold coin and replaced it with a glass of the terrible alcohol. 

Gabriel drank it and gasped. It still burned as he swallowed, but the effect was lessened. It was like his senses were going numb. He tapped the bar. “Another.” The bartender refilled him.

“Hey, sweetie, want to dance?” Gabriel glanced toward a mature woman who appeared to be ready to burst out of her top. She had wings, but Gabriel didn’t know how she could fly like that. 

“No,” he told her, then turned back to his drink. “Not interested.” 

“Why not, honey? Pretty boys like you shouldn’t look so sad.” 

“Fuck off,” Gabriel snapped, his barely suppressed anger spilling out. The woman clicked her tongue in disapproval at his vulgar language and walked off. 

Gabriel continued to sit there and drink, rejecting any offers from others to keep him company or dance. He watched the crowd of sweaty, desperate people, and he hated them all. 

He lost track of how much he had to drink. He lost track of Barach and Erem, too. The last he’d seen, they were headed toward the dance floor together. Plenty of people danced with their friends, both male and female, so it was doubtful anyone would think too hard on Barach and Erem dancing together. 

Unless they danced like Lorcas and Sera. Then it would be impossible to see them and not know that they were madly, desperately in love. Gabriel frowned again and drank another glass of Starhops. He would not act jealous, especially not over some stupid, worthless Terran.

“Water, please,” came a light voice. Gabriel looked over. He saw lavender hair and frowning lips painted to match. He had to close one eye to only see one version of her, but it didn’t change Sera’s stern expression.

“Go away,” Gabriel told her.

“I’m just getting a water. Fiends, Gabriel, how many of these have you had to drink?”

“I don’t know. Four,” Gabriel guessed.

“Sixteen,” said the bartender as he gave Sera a glass of water. 

“He’s done,” Sera told the man. The bartender didn’t argue.

“You’re not my matron,” Gabriel snapped at her.

“Yeah, but you’ve had enough,” she said. “You’re drunk.”

“I am not drunk,” he replied, but he turned a little too fast on the stool and had to grab the edge of the bar to keep from falling off. Everything was tilting.

“Uh huh.” She didn’t sound convinced. She sipped her water while she watched him wobble.

“Why are you even here?” Gabriel asked, squinting at the lavender-haired girl. “Go back to humping your boyfriend in front of everyone and leave me alone.”

Sera shook her head. “Fiends. I don’t know how I ever thought you were sweet.” She gave an exasperated sigh, then explained, “Ombri and Hul got into an argument with some city punks, and they went outside to fight. Lorcas left to break it up before someone gets in trouble. I just came over to get a drink, but instead I’m talking to you.”

Gabriel scoffed. “Why bother?”

“Because, even if you are a selfish, manipulative asshole, I still don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”

“You don’t?” Gabriel’s brow furrowed.

“No. Of course I don’t.” When Gabriel still looked confused, Sera continued, adding, “This world already has too many people who act cruel or greedy. I’m not going to be one of them. I choose to believe that there is good in everyone, even a liar like you.”

She sounded sincere. Her words carried the emotion of her conviction, but she wasn’t lying. She genuinely believed that. Gabriel started to berate her for her naive optimism, but as he opened his mouth, the only thing he could say was, “I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Alright, let’s get you outside. You’ll feel better in the fresh air.” She helped him off the stool, and even if he wanted to, Gabriel couldn’t protest. The room lurched and spun. His stomach flipped. If Sera hadn’t been standing there, he would have collapsed on the floor. Instead, she guided him out of the club while he focused on not vomiting in front of everyone. 

They made it outside, and Sera walked Gabriel around the corner of the building. The shadows there gave them some privacy from the front of the club. Gabriel touched the wall to steady himself. “I’m fine,” he said, taking a shaky step away from Sera. 

It wasn’t a good lie. No sooner had the words left his mouth, than bile rose up his throat. Gabriel couldn’t fight it back anymore. He bent over and threw up, the fiend-taken Starhops purging everything from his stomach. 

The convulsions were painful and involuntary. It brought tears to his eyes. Every time he thought it was over and tried to catch his breath, it hit him again. 

Sera remained by his side, witnessing his humiliation. She held his silver hair back from his face. “It’s alright,” she said softly. “Get it all out.” She gently rubbed his upper back, above where his wings sprouted. 

Gabriel couldn’t have closed his wings if he wanted to. Every time his body convulsed, his wings opened straight back, stretching out fully. They trembled, feeling hotter than usual as the hollow bones released a surge of enzymes and antibodies to counteract the poison Gabriel had stupidly chosen to drink.

It was impossible to keep track of time, but if Gabriel had to guess, he would have said that he threw up in that alley forever. He was fairly certain the stars would be realigned by the time he stopped heaving. 

His body was shaking when Sera finally led him away from the mess he made. They moved to the other side of the alley, and Gabriel slumped sideways against the wall, so his feverish wings could remain stretched out behind him. He pressed the side of his face against the brick, breathing hard.

Sera sat before him. “Are you okay?” she asked.

“No,” he said, barely cracking his blue eyes to see her blurry face through the tears that clung to his lashes. “Stop being nice to me. You should hate me.”

“Who says I don’t?”

“Then just leave me here to die.” He closed his eyes and swallowed, trying to keep the queasy feeling suppressed. He wanted to be left alone, so he could suffer in peace.

“I’m not going to leave you. That’s not the type of person I am,” said Sera.

“No, you’re just a boy in a dress.” The cruel words slipped out, fueled by Gabriel’s embarrassment, but that was no excuse, and he knew it. He immediately felt bad. He looked at Sera and started to apologize, but she cut him off.

“I may be stuck in a body I’m not comfortable in, but at least I’m not a self-loathing brat filled with such misery and anger that I have to drag everyone else down until they’re just as miserable as me,” she said sharply. “You, Ahnnak Gabriel, are an ass.”

Her words hurt, because they were completely true. Gabriel still wanted to argue with her, but he ignored the impulse. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean it.”

“Didn’t mean what? To call me a boy, or to sleep with my boyfriend?” Her judgmental lavender eyes watched him closely.

“Both,” he said, feeling fresh tears come to his eyes. He blinked rapidly to keep them from spilling over. “I didn’t want to sleep with Lorcas. I just didn’t have anyone else to go to, and a-after…” he sniffled. “I hate him. I hate him so much, but I’m not some prince when I’m with him. I don’t have to be perfect or nice, and he understands.”

“Understands what?”

“That I lie. I have so many secrets, I’m just lying constantly. Sometimes, I can’t even tell what the truth is anymore.” He wiped the moisture from his cheeks with his palm. “Lorcas doesn’t care what I say. Sometimes, it’s n-nice to let someone else be in control.” 

“You like it when he bosses you around?” asked Sera.

Gabriel cheeks reddened. “N-No.” His lower lip trembled. “Sometimes I think he wants to break me, b-but then he’s so gentle after… It’s confusing. I hate him so much, but I keep going back to him, even though I know it hurts you.” He looked up at her. “I never wanted to hurt you, Sera. You’ve always been nice to me, even when I don’t deserve it.”

Sera’s mouth pursed. “You don’t deserve it. You’re a spoiled brat, but I get the appeal.” She wiped a tear from the corner of Gabriel’s eye with her thumb. 

Her skin was cool. Either that, or Gabriel was just running hot to burn off the alcohol poisoning his system. He wasn’t sure. 

Sera dried the tear off on her skirt and said, “Lorcas loves me. I know he does. I love him, too, but there are parts of him I can’t connect to. He’s just as angry as you are, deep down, and I think that’s the connection you two have. I don’t think it’s good or healthy, but it’s there, and it’s not going away.”

Gabriel sniffled. “Do you hate me?”

With a heavy sigh, Sera said, “No. Not really. I think I’m just jealous, but I shouldn’t be. Not of you. You’re just as broken as the rest of us, even if you are Ahnnak.” 

Gabriel leaned forward, resting his forehead on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry for everything I’ve put you through.” He swallowed past the knot in his throat. “And I don’t think of you as a boy at all.”

“What you think of me doesn’t matter. I know who I am.” She patted the side of his face. “But I forgive you.”

He didn’t know why, but her words brought more tears to his eyes. He pressed his face to the fabric of her dress and let the tears drip freely. He didn’t have the strength to fight them anymore.

Every time the club door opened, the blaring music poured out. They sat and listened for a while, but before long, Lorcas walked around the corner into the alley. “Sera, there you are- What?”

Sera touched her fingers to her lips. “He’s drunk,” she whispered. “Can we get him back to the academy?”

Lorcas glanced behind him, then back to his girlfriend. “Let me go inside and tell Barach we’re leaving with him, then we’ll go.” He was gone for a few minutes, and when he returned, he helped Sera get Gabriel back on his feet.

Balanced between the two of them, the world still tilted and spun. Being upright irritated Gabriel’s stomach once more. “Gonna throw- hrk!” He barely had time to warm them.

“Fiends, baby, how much did you drink?” Lorcas supported Gabriel’s body while Sera kept his hair out of his face. 

“Five,” Gabriel coughed between spasms. He couldn’t believe there was anything left in his stomach after all this, and yet, more kept coming.

“Sixteen,” corrected Sera. “And that was just what the bartender gave him. Who knows if he drank more before that.”

“What was he drinking?”

“Smelled like Starhops, like you drink.”

Lorcas sucking in a sharp breath. “Shit.” He tapped Gabriel’s chest while he held him. “You idiot. You’re lucky it didn’t kill you, but you’re going to wish it had by morning.”

“I already do.” Gabriel felt like the spasms were done for the moment. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. This time, when Lorcas and Sera helped him stand upright, the world still spun, but Gabriel’s stomach didn’t twist in knots to eject everything.

“Can you fly?” asked Sera.

“Of course I can fly,” Gabriel said. 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Lorcas. “You can’t even walk, how are you going to fly?” Without asking, he picked Gabriel up in his arms.

“Put me down!” Gabriel exclaimed.

Lorcas pinched Gabriel’s thigh. “Shut up and be grateful, brat. I should just leave you passed out in the dirt in a puddle of your own vomit. The gang Hul picked a fight with will be back, and I’m sure they would just love a piece of-”

“Lorcas!” Sera snapped.

“What?” He looked at her, confused.

“He’s sick. Let’s just go home.”

“Yeah, alright,” Lorcas said, still sounding uncertain. “But you struggle again, baby, and I drop you.” 

Sera led the way out of the alley and away from the warehouse. Lorcas followed with Gabriel in his arms, and as soon as they reached an unobstructed stretch of sky, they flew up and out of the city. Gabriel didn’t fight against Lorcas, because even with Sera there, he wasn’t sure if Lorcas would really drop him. He couldn’t bear the thought of more people seeing him in this state. 

If he survived this, Gabriel swore he would never drink again.

It was difficult to remain conscious during the flight back, with Lorcas’ arms wrapped around him and the cool wind on his face. Gabriel thought he only blinked for a second, but when he opened his eyes, he was being carried down the darkened hall in the advanced curriculum dorms. They were headed toward Lorcas’ room. 

Gabriel closed his eyes again. He was completely helpless and vulnerable, and he knew he deserved whatever the Huntsman did to him tonight.

***

Daylight tubes flooded the room with light. Gabriel woke, blinking against the harsh glow. His eyes felt like they were filled with sand. He groaned and covered his face with his hands. The pounding of his head made it impossible to think. He felt awful. What had he done last night?

Bits and pieces of memories floated back, but they were dark and hazy. He couldn’t concentrate. His tongue felt like it had swollen to twice its size, sticking to the roof of his parched mouth. He desperately needed water.

That thought alone drove him out of the bed. He gave no thought to the delicate arm draped across his waist, as it took his full attention just to sit up. All he had to do was make it to the bathing room. Even if he had to crawl, he had to get there.

Preparing himself for the seemingly impossible task, Gabriel swung his legs off the bed. He took a deep breath and stepped down, except there was no stone floor beneath his feet. There was a squishy body, which let out a loud curse when Gabriel stepped on its stomach.

Gabriel blinked and squinted blearily at the person beneath his feet. Lorcas? 

All at once, Gabriel realized he wasn’t in his room. This wasn’t his bed. Those weren’t his awards and decorations. He didn’t even have any of that in his room. The closest thing he had to personalization were a few scribbled pictures he kept tucked away in his bottom desk drawer.

How had he ended up in the Huntsman’s room? And why was the groggy Terran glaring up at him from the floor? Gabriel sat back on the bed, lifting his feet from the Huntsman’s stomach. 

Annoyed, Lorcas rolled over and got up. He shook out his wings and grumbled something under his breath as he stomped into the bathing room. The door slammed shut behind him.

“Don’t mind him,” said a sleepy voice. “He’s grumpy I made him sleep on the floor.”

Gabriel turned slowly, remembering the arm across his body when he woke. Sera yawned, stretched out on the bed in baggy pants and a tunic that did little to highlight her femininity. She smiled up at Gabriel, her brown and lavender hair spread across the pillow. 

“Morning, Gabriel,” she said brightly. She sat up with a soft smile. “How are you feeling?” 

Gabriel wanted to ask her what had happened, but his throat was too dry. He tried a couple times before he finally managed to croak, “Water.”

“Right. Of course.” She hopped off the bed, walking on the cold stone floor on her toes. She opened the door and went into the bathing room.

Gabriel could hear Sera and Lorcas talking, but he didn’t catch any of the words, because right at that moment, he realized he was naked. The soft blanket that covered him when he woke had fallen open when he stepped off the bed. He quickly wrapped it back around his waist as his heart pounded.

Fiends, what happened last night?!

Sera returned with a tall ewer of water. She sat it on the table and poured a cup for Gabriel, which she handed to him, then she used the rest to fill a ceramic teapot. 

Gabriel’s lips were so dry, it was hard to drink. Some of the water dribbled from the corner of his mouth, but he didn’t care. It was the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted.

Once Sera got the tea started over a small flame and burner, she returned to Gabriel’s side. “Any better?” 

“Much,” he said. He gave her back the cup, which she sat on the bedside table. His voice was still raspy, but at least he didn’t feel like he was going to choke every time he tried to speak. Cautiously, he asked, “What happened?”

“You drank too much.” Sera sat and tucked some of Gabriel’s hair behind his ear. “How much do you remember?”

“I remember going to the club with Barach and Erem, and then…” Then he saw Lorcas and Sera dancing. He’d been jealous. “I guess I had a few drinks.”

“More than a few. You couldn’t even stand when I found you.” That sounded right, too, but it made Gabriel’s skin flush with embarrassment. “You got sick, and I took you outside. Lorcas helped bring you home after.”

“Home?”

“Well, Lorcas’ room.” Sera shrugged. “Home is where he is.” She got up and checked on the tea.

Gabriel watched her for a moment. He remembered talking with her last night. “Sera…?”

“Hm?”

“Are we okay?”

She glanced back over her shoulder. “Yeah, Gabriel. We’re okay.” She turned back to the tea, setting up three cups for the hot liquid to be poured into.

“I don’t remember anything after we got back to the academy. Did Lorcas, um…”

“No,” said Sera. “He didn’t. No one did.”

“Then where are my clothes?”

Sera poured two cups of tea and carried them over. Gabriel took the hot cup from her. He carefully sipped the steaming liquid, which was closer to a broth than tea. He didn’t recognize a lot of the flavors, but it crept through him like a reviving elixir. 

“We got you back, and you got sick again,” said Sera. “I spent half the night in the bathing room with you as you threw up, but your clothes were soiled. I got you undressed, gave you a bath, and tucked you in bed. I slept beside you because I wasn’t sure if you were going to throw up again, and I didn’t want you to choke on your vomit if you did.”

“So Lorcas didn’t…? At all?”

“He slept on the floor, Gabriel. That’s why he’s so grumpy this morning, because I kicked him out of his bed.” She sipped some of her tea. “I told you I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you. That includes not letting a boy who thinks more with his dick than his brain fondle you while you were passed out.” 

“I heard that,” said Lorcas, stepping out of the bathing room. “You really think I’m that bad?” His hair was wet, and water dripped down his bare chest. He had baggy pants on, but they were damp in spots and clung to his muscular thighs.

“I don’t know what to think of you sometimes,” said Sera. “Better not risk it. There’s tea.”

Lorcas walked over and poured himself a cup. “I’m not about to take advantage of someone while they’re sick,” he said. “I wouldn’t have touched him.”

“Uh huh.” Sera sipped some of her tea.

Frustrated, Lorcas shook his head. He drank some of his tea, then refilled the cup. “It’s good. Vitality blend?”

“Yep. Save some for Gabriel. He’ll need more.”

Lorcas took his cup and sat at the table across from the bed. He opened his wings behind him while he looked at Gabriel. “So, what made you decide to drown yourself in poison last night?”

“I didn’t mean to,” Gabriel said. “I’ve never had anything affect me like that before.”

“Never drank?” asked Lorcas. Gabriel shook his head. The Huntsman sighed. “Starhops can kill a Homm. The distillation process renders the toxins mostly safe for Terran, but that’s how it dilutes our system enough for us to get drunk.”

“It’s still poison,” said Sera. “No one should drink it.”

“It helps me relax when we’re out,” said Lorcas, in a tone that implied the two of them had had this discussion before. “Otherwise, I’d be so tense babysitting my asinine team that I wouldn’t be able to focus on you.”

“You can dance with me and keep them out of trouble without drinking.” 

Lorcas didn’t argue more, but it was clear he didn’t agree. He turned his focus back to Gabriel. “Barach is coming by this morning to pick you up. I talked to him last night.”

“What? No!” Gabriel didn’t want Barach seeing him like this. “I can go back to my room alone.”

“Your clothes are covered in vomit,” said Lorcas. “You can borrow mine, like Sera did, but it’s going to be obvious they’re too big for you. Just wait for Barach. He’s bringing a change of clothes.”

“It’s okay,” said Sera, lightly touching Gabriel’s arm. “You need to finish your tea anyway. It’ll help you feel better.” 

Gabriel nodded. The tea did help. He took another sip. “What’s in this?”

“It’s a personal blend I developed,” said Sera. “It’s an amber tea with a honey infused base and willow bark extract.”

“It’s more than that,” said Lorcas. 

Sera shrugged slightly. “I soak the honey base in pure energy for a week before grinding it into a powder. It adds a little kick.”

“I’ve never heard of anything like that,” said Gabriel.

“It’s a healing potion without the need of a healer.” There was pride in Lorcas’ voice as he spoke of Sera’s abilities.

“Stop,” Sera said, embarrassed. “It’s nothing like that. It just gives you a little boost, especially after nights when you drink too much.”

Lorcas grinned. “I’d be dead without you, my love.” 

“You would,” she agreed firmly.

The sharp edges of Gabriel’s headache began to abate. Sera refilled his cup when it emptied, and he thanked her. It was strange. If he hadn’t been naked, sitting with them and having tea for breakfast could have felt completely normal. 

Still, when Barach showed up, Gabriel was relieved to have clean clothes. He took them and staggered into the bathing room to dress while Barach told Sera, “Thank you for taking care of Gabriel last night. I should have been watching him closer.”

“Don’t worry about it,” said Sera. “I would do the same for any of my friends.”

“Friends?” Barach asked. 

Gabriel didn’t give them a chance to talk more. He flung open the door and stepped out, still tying his shirt around his waist. “Let’s go,” he said, walking toward the door.

“See you later, baby,” Lorcas called. He sipped his tea casually. Gabriel made a rude gesture at him, but the Huntsman only grinned.

“Bye Gabriel,” Sera said.

The silver-haired boy hesitated. He glanced at the pretty girl sitting on the bed. “Bye, Sera,” he replied softly. Then he grabbed Barach’s arm and quickly left the room with him.

“You’re friends with them now?” Barach demanded when they made it a few steps down the hall.

“Shut up. I don’t know,” Gabriel grumbled. “It’s confusing, and my head hurts too much to figure it out now. I just want to sleep until I’m dead.”

Barach huffed. He didn’t say anything else, even as Gabriel clung tightly to his arm to keep from falling. 

Whatever benefits Sera’s tea had given Gabriel were burned off in the exertion of getting back to his room. He made it to his bed and flopped down face first. Barach sighed heavily, then draped a blanket over the top of him. “I’ll be back to check on you at lunch,” he said. 

“Mmhm,” Gabriel murmured, but he was asleep before Barach even left the room.


	8. Barachiel: 19th Degree of Sun and Moon, 596 DE

“I want Gabriel and Erem to join the Hunt,” announced Lorcas at dinner one night. Barach looked over at his friends sitting to his right. They were both staring at the Captain of the Hunt, speechless.

Barach answered for them. “No.”

“Oh, come on,” said Lorcas. “The Summer Hunt is starting in a week. We’ll be holding tryouts to fill in the graduate openings.”

“The answer is still no,” said Barach.

Lorcas glared at him. “Would you let them answer for themselves?”

Barach shrugged and motioned toward them. He knew what his friends would say. 

Sera, who sat beside Lorcas at the dining table, gave Barach a sympathetic smile. He turned away from her. It wasn’t that he disliked the Terran girl, but she was meddlesome. Barach hated how much sway she had over Lorcas, and now, it seemed, Gabriel. She was nothing but trouble.

Lorcas started with what he assumed would be the easiest person to persuade. “Erem, I’ve seen your skill with a knife. Your control is amazing. You could be one of the best weapons we have, with a little more discipline.”

Erem laughed. “Trust me, I get disciplined plenty. In fact, just last night, Barach-”

“Erem,” said Barach sharply. 

His boyfriend just gave him a sly grin, and then continued talking to Lorcas. “What I mean is, no. I’m not going to fight for you, or follow orders, or fall in line like an obedient little soldier. The Hunt means nothing to me.”

“It’s a game,” said Lorcas, a brief twitch of annoyance crossing his features. Most people didn’t speak to him so bluntly, but Barach doubted he had spoken to Erem more than twice before now. “Barach is part of the Hunt, too.”

“I am not responsible for his dumb decisions,” said Erem. 

“But you owe him.”

“For what?” the blue-skinned boy scoffed.

“Teaching you how to fight. The way you use a knife-”

“You think he taught me this?” asked Erem. With a flick of his wrist he produced a carving knife and embedded the tip in the table. Sera jumped, startled by the sudden thud of the weapon, and Lorcas put a hand on her thigh to calm her.

While Erem spoke, he twisted his knife in the wood of the table. “My father, the great Isten Harut, travels Ter far beyond the borders of E’din. He has mapped and tested waters from every part of this world, from the glacial sea of the northern axis, to the black swamp at the edge of the crater. He has seen fiends and beasts you can’t even imagine. Everywhere he goes, he carves the beasts he sees from driftwood, as gifts to me and my sister. They’re perfect, as if he simply locked the creature in wood. If you stare at them long enough, you can almost see their heartbeat.” 

Erem smirked at Lorcas. “He’s the one who taught me how to use a knife. And I may not be as good as him yet, but I’m sure as hell not going to use my skills in some _game._ ” Erem picked up his knife with a flash of silver, tucking it away.

On the table, ornately carved into the wood with several beautiful flourishes, were the words, _Fuck you._

Lorcas’ eyes narrowed. He didn’t appear convinced that Erem wouldn’t join, but he recognized that he’d lost this round. He turned to Gabriel, and before he could even ask him, Gabriel said, “No.”

“Gabriel-”

“No.” The silver-haired boy finished eating. “It’s a waste of time.”

“You’re in the enclave with Barach almost every week,” Lorcas protested.

“You think I’m up there by choice?” Gabriel asked.

“I’ve seen you spar people. You enjoy fighting. You’re the best elementalist at the academy, without question. You should be on my squad.”

Barach blinked. Not team, _squad_. Lorcas wanted Gabriel with him during the Hunt. 

Gabriel shook his head. “It’s stupid. And you’re stupid for even asking.” He got up, leaving his tray on the table, and walked from the dining hall.

Lorcas watched him go, his wings tense. He looked at Sera. “Can I go talk to him?”

“Is it just going to be to talk?” she asked.

“Sera-”

“Go,” she said, rolling her eyes and sighing heavily. Lorcas kissed her cheek, then jumped up and left without another word.

Barach frowned. He really hated how much time Lorcas and Sera had been spending with Gabriel. It had been better when they were all fighting. This _friends_ nonsense was pissing him off.

“I should go check on them,” Barach said.

“Give them a few minutes to talk,” said Sera. “They can’t get up to too much trouble in the hall.”

Barach huffed. Sera was as naive as she was pretty. She had no place here. “Come on, Erem.” Barach stood with his tray. His boyfriend stuffed a handful of his remaining seeds in his mouth, then stacked his tray with Gabriel’s and followed with them both. They dropped the trays off near the kitchen, adding them to the dirty pile already there. 

Even if Barach hated Gabriel being alone with Lorcas, he knew his friend wouldn’t appreciate the interruption. He took his time cleaning up and leaving the dining hall, though he just wasn’t going to give Gabriel long enough to do more than talk to the Captain.

As they walked across the dining hall toward the door, Barach passed a familiar group of Terran children. They were seated together, talking animately with their hands. Half the conversation was out loud, with laughter and boisterous comments from the boy with hair the color of a fire. 

Ah, that’s why Barach recognized them. They were Alex’s friends. The two boys at the table were the ones with him when he got in trouble at the stables. There was a full dinner tray on the table between them, except Alex wasn’t around. Barach didn’t see Remiel, either, so he assumed the little boy was with his tutor.

That was good. Gabriel hated when Remiel left Alex alone.

Barach walked by the table with Erem, planning to ignore the children, but as he did, a snippet of their conversation reached him. 

“He’s going to be late again.”

“He won’t be,” the fiery boy, Uzzi, insisted. “It’ll be over in half an hour, and I want to make sure there’s food left when he gets back.”

“You know how mad Alex gets if you waste food.”

“If he’s late, I’ll hide it in my shirt and bring it up to our room, but he said he’d be here. Remi is picking him up tonight after dance.”

Barach froze. Erem bumped into him. “Hey!” the blue-skinned boy complained, but Barach didn’t respond to him. He backed up, looming over the table of children.

“What did you just say?” he asked.

Uzzi slowly looked up at him, his eyes getting wider as he recognized Barach. He gulped. “Hi.”

Barach placed a heavy hand on the back of the young Terran’s neck and bent down closer to him. In a low voice, very serious, he asked, “Where’s Alex?”

***

Lorcas and Gabriel were arguing in the hall when Barach and Erem came out. 

“Why won’t you even consider it?” Lorcas demanded.

“It doesn’t matter what I’m good at or even what I enjoy,” Gabriel replied sharply. His back was to the dining hall, so he didn’t see Barach approach. “Elemental manipulation, prophecy, you and your stupid game- none of it matters. I am, above all else, an heir, and there has only ever been one choice for me.”

“You can have a life outside of what your Isten has chosen for you.”

“Oh, because that’s working so well for you?” 

Lorcas glared at Gabriel, but the silver-haired boy glared back. As Barach got closer, he realized the Captain of the Hunt was holding his friend’s wrist, preventing him from walking away. 

Barach frowned. 

No, he did not like that at all. 

“Let go of him,” Barach said, stepping up beside Gabriel. Erem stopped at his side, already amused by the confrontation. For some reason, he enjoyed watching Barach and Gabriel argue.

The silver-haired Ahnnak twisted his arm out of the Captain’s grip. “Stay out of it, Barach,” he said angrily. 

Barach’s brow furrowed. Why was Gabriel getting angry with him? Lorcas was the one who had left red marks on his wrist. 

“I need to talk to you,” said Barach.

“Not now.”

“It’s important.” 

“So is this,” said Lorcas.

“He already told you no,” Barach replied.

The Captain glared at him. “He says no all the time, but he doesn’t really mean it.”

Barach’s wings snapped out. He stepped forward, ready to fight the Captain of the Hunt, even though he knew he’d get his ass kicked. Through his anger, he was slightly shocked to realize he was taller than Lorcas. Not a lot, but enough that the Terran had to look up to snarl at him.

Gabriel wedged himself between them, shoving them apart. “Stop it! Enough!” He held them at arms length from each other. “Lorcas, _leave_. I’ll talk to you later.”

Lorcas glared over Gabriel’s head at Barach. “This isn’t over between us. I’ll see you in the sparring ring tomorrow.”

Barach bared his teeth. “Fine.” He knew he would undoubtedly lose if he fought the Captain, but he didn’t care. Last time, he’d actually gotten a hit on the Terran, and if they fought again, he would make sure he wasn’t the only one leaving the ring sore.

Lorcas stepped back. He turned his eyes from Barach to Gabriel. “See you later, baby.”

“Just go,” Gabriel said, exasperated.

Lorcas winked at him, then walked back to the dining hall.

After the Huntsman was gone, Gabriel’s furious, ice-blue eyes focused on Barach. “What?!”

“It’s about Alex.”

***

They arrived at the theater in Marut within minutes. Arcs of lightning crackled across Gabriel’s skin and feathers as he stalked toward the front entrance. Barach landed beside him and grabbed his arm before he could get too far. Electricity poured into Barach, but Gabriel wasn’t doing it intentionally. He’d lost control. 

“Let go of me!” Gabriel demanded, spinning toward him. 

Erem landed further back, but he watched closely. He wasn’t fond of being hit by stray bolts of lightning. Barach didn’t blame him. Absorbing this much energy was going to be a pain to deal with later. 

“Calm down.”

“Don’t fucking tell me to calm down!” Gabriel’s blue eyes glowed as another snap of electricity jumped from his elbow to his wings.

“You can’t walk in there like this. You’ll kill someone,” said Barach.

“That’s the plan.” Gabriel’s lip curled back in a snarl. “How dare Remiel keep this from me!” Another burst of rage and electricity surged into Barach, but at least the outward display was diminishing.

“Get yourself under control,” Barach said through clenched teeth. He felt like he was caught in a thunderstorm. His heart raced and his muscles twitched, already converting the energy. He wasn’t going to be able to sleep tonight.

“Release me!” Gabriel tried to pull away, but Barach tightened his grip on his arm. 

Barach didn’t know how long he could keep this up. “If you don’t calm down right now, I’m going to reverse this charge and haul your paralyzed body back to Archridge.”

Gabriel bared his teeth, the urge to fight clear. But he took a few steady, controlled breaths, and his energy began to recede. 

Erem walked closer as Gabriel’s violent aura diminished. “There’s a balcony up top. We could go in and see what’s going on first, before you storm through the front door.”

That was a good idea. Barach regarded Gabriel, waiting for his response. 

“Fine,” Gabriel growled. “But I see that bastard Remiel and I’m going to rip his piercings out and shove them down his throat.”

Barach would prevent that, though he doubted Remiel would get out of this completely unscathed. He didn’t understand what the older Ahnnak had been thinking, hiding something like this from Gabriel. They all knew how he would react. 

“It’s up here,” said Erem, leading the way up to the balcony.

“You going to let go of my arm?” Gabriel asked.

Barach could still feel the energy seep from Gabriel in waves. He tested him by letting go, just for a second. Ribbons of electricity stretched between his fingertips and Gabriel’s wrist. He grabbed the silver-haired boy again. “Nope.” 

Gabriel glared at him, but they flew after Erem together. 

The balcony of the theater was dark, the stage the only part illuminated by sconces and candles across the front. A swarm of children danced on the platform, but it didn’t take long for Barach to find Alex.

The boy’s long black hair was tied up, exposing the line of his delicate neck. As he raised his arms in a graceful arc, his tunic rose and revealed the pale skin across his lower belly. Every move he made was controlled and perfect. Even though he was at the back of the group, Barach couldn’t take his eyes off him.

Alex was beautiful.

For a Terran.

Erem nudged Barach’s arm and pointed off to the side of the stage. It took Barach a second, but he finally looked away from the boy to see what his boyfriend was pointing at. 

Remiel sat near the curtains, a book open in his lap. He tapped the rhythm of the dance out on the edge of the book with his quill, only pausing once in a while to write something down. 

“Should we go talk to him?” Erem whispered. Barach glanced at Gabriel. 

The silver-haired Ahnnak’s blue eyes were fixated on the young boy dancing across the stage. Gabriel’s energy had shifted, quieting considerably. Barach probably could have let him go now, but he didn’t, just in case. 

Barach looked back at Erem and shook his head. “Let’s wait,” he replied softly.

They stayed in the balcony a while, watching the performance on the stage. It was a simple dance, something Barach had seen performed at Harvest festivals across E’din as a celebration of summer, the hard work of the farmers, and the year’s crops. Besides some well choreographed jumps, there wasn’t anything that impressive about it.

Still, even though Alex was at the back of the group, it was impossible to not watch him. He could have been alone on that stage, for all the other kids mattered. He moved with a serene grace, as if he was lost in the dance. He was absolutely mesmerizing.

“Alright, that’s enough for today!” called a winged woman at the edge of the stage. “I’ll see you all tomorrow. We’re going to be practicing jumps, so make sure you’ve eaten enough.”

The children bowed to her, then separated into chattering little groups as they collected their belongings. A couple boys and girls gathered around Alex. They spoke to him, and he laughed and smiled. A flush appeared across his cheeks that wasn’t caused by the exertion of the dance. He bowed and waved to them as they left, then ran over to Remiel happily.

“We’re leaving,” Gabriel said, turning away from the stage. Barach released his arm as he walked back out toward the balcony. 

“You’re not going to talk to them?” Erem asked, running up beside Gabriel. 

“Leave it.” 

“But they lied to you.” The sharp look Gabriel gave Erem made the blue-skinned boy back off. They stepped out onto the landing, and Gabriel leaned against the wooden railing, taking deep breaths of the night air. 

“This is what I wanted,” he said, speaking to the stars above. “I wanted him to be happy. I wanted him to have friends.” He clenched his teeth and pounded his fist down on the railing, splintering the wood. “Fiends! Why does everything have to be so damn hard?!”

Erem bit his lip and gave Barach a worried look. Barach nodded and approached the silver-haired Ahnnak’s side. “Do you want to talk to them?”

“No,” Gabriel said. The wood creaked under the pressure of his grip. “I want to rip Remiel’s wings off for hiding this from me. I want to fly down there and beat Alex until he cries. They way people will look at him-” He bared his teeth and snarled. “I want to burn this whole fucking theater down, with everyone inside it-”

“Gabriel-”

“But I won’t.” Gabriel looked at Barach, and though his emotions were intense, his eyes contained none of the uncontrolled rage he had displayed on the flight in. His blue eyes were cold and calculating. Barach knew Gabriel was far more dangerous like this.

“Why?” he asked cautiously.

“Because he’s happy,” said Gabriel. “He deserves to be happy, and I won’t be the one to take it from him.” He turned back to the stars, his jaw set with a stubborn scowl. “But I know who will.”


	9. Remiel: 21st Degree of Sun and Moon, 596 DE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((I am not happy with the quality and pacing of the following six chapters, but I am tired of editing and fidgeting with them. I need to push forward, so they will remain as they are for now.))

The boys were fighting when Remiel arrived after class to check on Alex. He threw open the door to the seventh year room, prepared for the worst, but he was still surprised by what he saw. “Hey, hey! Calm down!” Remiel held his hands out. 

“He started it!” Uzzi hollered. “He said if we build our fort on the fiend’s land, we deserve to die.”

“I didn’t say that!” Alex yelled back. “I said they have a right to defend themselves. It’s their territory, and we can’t go stomping in, killing all their babies and pretending its fair!”

“I’m not killing babies!” Uzzi shouted, the air around him shimmering with heat. “They’re fiends! They don’t even have families!”

“They do too! Tevrens said some of them are as smart as-”

“I’m tired of hearing about Tevrens! He’s dumb! He doesn’t know anything, and you’re dumb if you listen to him!”

Remiel separated the two emotional boys. “Whoa, whoa, wait a minute. Who’s Tevrens?”

Uzzi crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at Alex with a stubborn pout. “He’s Alex’s secret dance instructor who he’s not supposed to tell you about.”

“Uzzi!” Alex exclaimed. “You promised!”

“I don’t care anymore! I hate him!” Uzzi yelled back. “All you do is talk about stupid dance and stupid Tevrens. You don’t even have time to play with me anymore, and when you do, you ruin the games!”

Alex clenched his fists at his sides. “I ruin your games? Maybe if you didn’t always want to pretend to kill everything, they’d be more fun.”

“Alright, that’s enough,” said Remiel sternly. He hadn’t expected fighting like this while Isa wasn’t in the room. Alex and Uzzi usually got along so well. “You both need to calm down.” He pointed toward the edge of the pit. “Sit. I’m not going to keep listening to you yell at each other.”

“It’s his fault,” Uzzi snapped. 

“Uzziel, not one more word,” Remiel cautioned. “If you don’t want to sit and talk calmly, I have no problem sending you both to stand with your noses against the wall for the rest of the night.”

As Uzzi thought about arguing more, his wings puffed out, but he knew Remiel would do it. Maybe not for much longer, because the fiery boy was growing stronger, but for now Remiel still had the advantage. Uzzi huffed, flame flicking from the corner of his mouth, then he stomped over and sat. Alex sat without arguing, but they left a large gap between them.

Remiel stood across from them with his wings spread and his arms folded. “I’m not going to tell you not to fight with each other. It happens,” he said. “But I want you to think about something every time you fight: Is what you want to yell in anger worth losing your best friend over?” 

Alex stared at his grey nails, picking at them in his lap. He remained silent. Uzzi glanced over, but he quickly looked away. His wings deflated slightly.

“How can I have a best friend if he never wants to play with me?” asked Uzzi. There was still heat in his voice, but he had already calmed significantly.

“A best friend isn’t someone who has to play with you all the time,” said Remiel. “A best friend is someone whose happiness matters as much to you as much as your own, even if that means you enjoy doing different things.”

“But we used to play together all the time,” said Uzzi, “before he joined stupid dance.”

“It’s not stupid,” Alex muttered, still looking at his nails.

“It’s something Alex enjoys, Uzzi. Would you really ask him to stop doing something that makes him happy, just because you don’t see him as much?”

Uzzi pouted. “No… I just want him to play with me again… But anytime we do, he just complains about my games.”

“I don’t like hurting things,” said Alex. “It’s not fun.”

“It’s just pretend,” said Uzzi. “Isa plays with me when he’s here, and he doesn’t mind.”

Remiel thought for a moment, then suggested, “Maybe it’s time you two came up with a new game. Something calmer.”

“That sounds boring,” Uzzi complained.

“I could teach you some of my dances,” suggested Alex. His words were so soft, Remiel barely heard him.

“Really?” asked Uzzi. “But you never dance in front of people.”

Alex shrugged. “If it’s just you, I don’t mind.”

Uzzi stared at Alex a moment, his mouth open. Then he nodded. “Alright.” He scooted closer to the black-haired boy. “I would like that.”

When Uzzi was close enough, Alex placed his hand on the stone floor by his hip. Uzzi sat his hand nearby, their fingers casually overlapping. Remiel pretended not to see the contact. He had to cover his mouth with a fake cough, though, because he couldn’t quite hide his smile. They were adorable.

Alex’s black eyes glanced up, meeting Uzzi’s fiery gaze. “I’m sorry I ruined your game and yelled.”

“I’m sorry I yelled, too,” said Uzzi. “I didn’t really mean it.” 

“It’s okay. I forgive you.” Alex smiled.

Uzzi grinned back. “I forgive you, too.”

Remiel was glad to see they had made up. Friends and roommates were bound to argue sometimes, but they needed to learn how to work out their differences without saying or doing something they would regret. They’d done well today, however…

“Now that that’s solved,” said Remiel, taking a seat across from the boys, “who’s Tevrens?”

***

Zak greeted Remiel at the door and kissed his cheek. “Hey, Rem, I didn’t expect to see you tonight. What’s wrong?”

Remiel gave him a small smile. “Nothing. I just wanted to see you.” He entered his boyfriend’s apartment and peeked into the bedroom. Sophie was in bed, sleeping soundly.

“She just came off a twenty-six hour shift,” Zak said softly.

Remiel nodded. He didn’t want to wake her. He just wanted to be close to them. He took Zak’s hand, the one that wore his gold ring, and pressed it to his cheek. He sighed heavily.

Alex had been reluctant to talk, but eventually, Remiel got the whole story from him. Everything that had been happening at dance when Remiel wasn’t there… It was difficult to understand how so much had happened that Remiel didn’t notice. He’d been so oblivious, and now, he didn’t know what to do.

Zak brought his hand up to cup Remiel’s other cheek. He held his face gently and kissed his forehead. “I know something is bothering you. Tell me about it.”

“It’s nothing.” Remiel closed his green eyes. A gentle aura seeped from Zak’s strong hands, easing some of the tension in his body. “It’s just… Alex has been taking extra dance lessons, and I had no clue.”

“So? It makes the kid happy.”

“It’s not him, it’s his teacher. There’s something off, and I just can’t believe I missed it for so long.” He opened his eyes and looked as Zak. He could see a reflection of himself in his boyfriend’s dark eyes. “I shouldn’t have left him alone there.” 

“He’s fine, Rem. He’s eleven. He has enough common sense not to get in trouble or run away.”

“I don’t think he does. And I don’t think he’d know if someone was taking advantage of him.”

“What do you mean?” Zak slipped his hands from Remiel’s face and led him over to sit on the pillows. 

Remiel got comfortable beside Zak and said, “She asked Alex not to tell anyone about the extra lessons and she invited some Terran to help her teach. She said it was to help Alex catch up with the other students.”

“That’s probably all it is. He’s only been doing it for, what? A year?” 

“Less,” Remiel sighed. “But I don’t think that’s why. A while ago she told me… She said Alex is special.”

Zak nodded. “Yeah, he’s a great kid. Real shy, but fun when he warms up.”

“Not just that. She meant his abilities. She called him kinetically adept.” 

Zak tilted his head. “Alex?”

“Yeah. I didn’t quite understand, but apparently it means he can mimic any movement he sees.”

“I know what it means. It was one of the rare abilities we studied in first year medic training. I just can’t picture Alex possessing it.” 

“He’s shy, and his body isn’t strong enough yet. I don’t think he even knows.” 

“You haven’t told him?” 

Remiel’s brow furrowed. “Kamberli asked me not to, and for some reason, I listened to her.”

Zak frowned slightly. “Yeah, that does sound kind of weird, but its just dance, Rem. You’re worrying too much. Don’t overreact. Just let them be.”

Resting his head on Zak’s shoulder, Remiel said, “It’s not just that. It shouldn’t have taken me so long to discover what was happening. With everything else going on, I’ve been neglecting Alex.” 

“You haven’t,” Zak insisted. He took Remiel’s hand, entwining their fingers together. “You were only hired to help Alex adapt to living at the academy and to catch up with his peers. You’ve done that. He’s learning how to be more independent, and that’s good. He’ll be fine on his own.”

Remiel shook his head. “It’ll be my fault if something bad happens. I’m not going to abandon him.” 

“I’m not asking you to abandon him. Just don’t exhaust yourself trying to take care of everything at once.” Zak kissed Remiel’s head. “I have an idea. Bring the boys over this weekend. Spend the day in Marut and the night here. I’ve got a couple days off, and I’ll help you watch them.”

“Would you really be okay with that?” Remiel asked, gazing up at his boyfriend.

“Of course.” Zak pressed their lips together gently, breathing in the scent of the bronze-skinned Ahnnak as he did. “And I would love to stay and comfort you all night, but I’ve got to get ready for my shift at the hospital.”

“Do you have to?” Remiel pouted.

Zak kissed him again with light, playful kisses. “Yes, I do. Now go lay down with Zoph.”

“Alright,” Remiel sighed. They got up and Zak gave Remiel one more kiss before he swatted his butt and sent him in to the bedroom. 

Remiel crawled into bed with Sophie. She wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled his hair. “Remi… What’s wrong…” she murmured sleepily. 

“Alex and Uzzi had a fight,” he told her.

Sophie squeezed him to her chest. “Whose ass do I need to kick…” she muttered, but fell back asleep before she could finish her thought. 

Remiel smiled and closed his eyes. He cuddled with Sophie while she slept, comforted just by being close to her.

Like this, with Sophie and Zak near, everything felt better. This was the way the world was supposed to be. 

And yet, for as happy as Remiel was with them, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad was on the horizon, and when it came, there would be nothing he could do to stop it from destroying everything he loved.


	10. Remiel: 25th Degree of Sun and Moon, 596 DE

The end of spring neared, and the summer heat encroached. Remiel arrived in Marut with Alex and Uzzi just before lunch, but the day was already sweltering. The three of them stayed in the shade as much as they could, but there was no escaping the heat. 

Remiel had offered to bring Isa too, but the boy had obligations to his family during each of the end of month, six degree breaks. Isa left for home after class ended yesterday.

After their fight earlier in the week, Alex and Uzzi both promised to be on their best behavior. Alex didn’t have any more dance classes until the first of the month, so they all had a few days where they could just hang out and relax. They were all looking forward to it, even though Remiel was plagued by a nagging sense of foreboding. He tried to ignore it. It wouldn’t do to let Alex sense his apprehension and worry the boy over nothing. 

Remiel was probably just overreacting anyway. Sophie and Zak told him he did that a lot.

Alex picked where the ate for lunch. Both he and Uzzi ordered the spiciest dish on the menu. Remiel paid. Today was his treat, because after the last couple orders of firecord went out, he actually had a little extra money. Lately, he’d been so busy with his new classes and side business, he felt he barely spent any time with Alex at all. Today was to make up for that.

They browsed the markets of Marut after lunch. The boys stopped at nearly every stall with food. Remiel swore Alex must have eaten half his weight while they wandered. Uzzi tried to eat as much, but eventually, the fiery boy would just try a bite and give the rest of the snack to his friend. 

Without fail, Alex finished it off. He ate like he was preparing for hibernation, though none of it ever seemed to fill out his slender frame. Alex was definitely still going through a growth spurt. The black-haired boy was ever so slightly taller than Uzzi now, and sometimes, when they stopped, Remiel caught Uzzi standing on his toes beside Alex to make up the difference.

When the boys found a performing minstrel, Remiel visited a nearby jewelry stall to examine some rings. Alex and Uzzi were entertained, so he took his time. He hadn’t planned to buy anything for himself, but he still liked to look. Maybe he could add another piercing to his ears…

A hand touched the small of Remiel’s back. A deep voice whispered in his ear, “Found you.”

Startled, Remiel looked over. “Zak? I thought you had a shift at the hospital all afternoon.”

Zak’s smile was bright against the dusky tones of his brown skin. He still wore his tightly curled hair up, as he did whenever he had to work. “Slow day, so I cut out early. Figured you’d be in the area with the boys.” He placed a quick kiss on Remiel’s cheek. His smile didn’t falter when Remiel nervously glanced to see if Alex and Uzzi had seen. 

Fortunately, the boys were sitting with a group of children before the minstrel, completely focused on the lyrical story.

It wasn’t that Remiel was embarrassed to be dating Zak. He and Sophie just hadn’t figured out how they were going to explain the addition of a third to their relationship yet. Sophie worried about her parents reaction, especially if her brother found out and told them. She also worried about the medics at the hospital refusing to let her work with Zak again.

Remiel knew his grandfather would disapprove, but he was used to being a disappointment to that man. However, the thought of anyone being disappointed with Zak, that bothered Remiel. Zak was too good and wonderful for anyone to hate. 

Even if Zak said he didn’t mind waiting to reveal their unconventional relationship, Remiel didn’t want to keep it a secret forever.

Just for now.

“What do you think?” Remiel help up two gold loops that were bigger than what he normally wore. 

“You don’t need more,” said Zak. He stepped away from Remiel, causally examining the jewelry on the stall. “You’re perfect as you are.”

Remiel put the rings back down. Zak was sensitive to other people’s discomfort. Remiel worried he had offended him. He followed along behind Zak as they slowly browsed. “You still okay with the boys and I spending the night at your place?”

“Yes,” Zak said. He didn’t look at Remiel. “Though how much distance am I expected to keep from you while they’re around?”

Remiel bit his lip. Zak was upset. “We can still touch and act like friends. Just don’t kiss me.”

“It’s hard to touch you and not want to kiss you,” said Zak. He looked back at Remiel and sighed. “You better make it up to me later.”

“Anything,” Remiel promised. Zak smiled again. They held hands secretly as they continued browsing the stall, though Zak was certainly right about one thing. Touching and not kissing was hard.

***

Before dinner, Remiel and Zak returned to the apartment with Alex and Uzzi. Immediately, Uzzi ran in, laughing with Alex as they plunged into the pillows in the lounge. Shortly after, Sophie emerged from the bedroom. 

“Hi, boys,” she said, stifling a yawn. “Have fun?”

“Sorry about waking you,” said Remiel, walking over to her. He almost leaned in to give her a kiss, but it felt wrong that he would openly show Sophie affection while refusing to do the same with Zak. He lightly patted her arm, but she didn’t seem to notice his awkward attempt to cover up his hesitation.

“It’s okay. I got-” Sophie squinted and looked out the window, “-three hours of sleep.” She laughed. “I’ll be fine.”

“You’re pushing yourself too hard,” said Zak. He placed the small crate they had picked up in the market on top of his stove. They only used the stove for heat in the winter, and certainly didn’t need it now, with the start of summer just a few days away. Zak removed the small bundles of snacks from the box, lining them up on the cold metal so the boys could have something to eat if they got hungry that evening. 

“Don’t worry so much. You sound like Remi,” teased Sophie. 

“Hey!” Remiel laughed and poked his girlfriend’s side. She grinned unapologetically and danced away from him, moving into the lounge. Casually, Sophie picked up a pillow and walked toward Uzzi and Alex. She whacked her little brother in the back of the head with the pillow, knocking him down, but he immediately sprang back up. 

“What was that for?!” Uzzi exclaimed.

“Be good tonight!” Sophie yelled back. “I’ve got to work, but if you so much as think of burning Zak’s apartment down, I’m going to give you an ass whooping that’ll put Dad’s beatings to shame.”

“I’m not going to burn anything down!” Uzzi stomped his foot and puffed out his wings. “Fiends, Sophie! I’m not a little kid anymore! Stop bossing me around!” 

Sophie pinched his cheek. “You’ll always be my little brother. It’s my duty to boss you around.”

Uzzi swatted her hand away. He spun behind Alex before Sophie could grab him again. 

Sophie laughed and ruffled Alex’s hair instead. “How are you doing, Alex?”

“Fine,” said Alex, looking up at her with a small smile. 

After the fight the boys had a few days ago, Remiel was impressed by how easily Alex and Uzzi seemed to be getting along. It was like the whole thing had been forgotten. Alex didn’t even seem to mind having Uzzi hide behind him, either, even as the fiery boy pressed himself against Alex’s wings. A year ago, Alex would have been distraught at the playful contact. 

Remiel frowned. Why did he feel so sad suddenly? The boys were growing up. That’s what happened with little kids. It wasn’t something to be sad about.

But as Remiel thought of the way Alex used to look up at him, those big, black, innocent eyes staring out from that little face, Remiel was hit with a wave of nostalgia that almost brought tears to his eyes. That little boy had changed so much. Alex used to be so cute and tiny, but now, he had caught up with his peers. 

Alex was slender, stretching ever taller. There was an awkwardness to his movements, as if he was growing faster than he could adjust to and he was never quite used to how long his limbs were. But he was still the same adorable little boy Remiel had coaxed out from beneath his bed the first time they met.

Just happier. 

Trying not to draw attention to himself, Remiel stepped into the bathing room. He ran cold water from the tap, waiting for it to warm before he remembered the apartments here didn’t have a steady supply of hot water like the academy. The cold water felt just as good as he splashed it on his face and rubbed his eyes. He shoved his wet hands back through his thick brown hair, revealing the rows of gold rings that followed the edge of each ear.

Remiel stared at himself in the mirror. His eyes looked swollen. Maybe no one would notice. Even if they would, Remiel knew he couldn’t stay in that bathing room forever. He stretched his white wings out in the small room, touching each wall, then folded them against his back. He sighed heavily, dried his face on a towel, and stepped out into the hall. 

Sophie was in the living room talking to the boys about what they wanted for dinner. Zak calmly strode across the room and grabbed Remiel’s arm, pulling him around the corner into the bedroom. 

“What’s wrong?” Zak asked, his attentive, dark brown eyes searching Remiel’s face. He placed his hands on Remiel’s hips, pulling him close.

“Nothing is wrong,” Remiel replied, glancing over Zak’s shoulder toward the living room. The boys were out of sight, for now, but any second, one of them could burst around the corner. Standing like this with Zak would be hard to explain, so Remiel placed his hand on his boyfriend’s chest and stepped away. 

Zak’s hands dropped from Remiel’s hips. “Sorry. You look like you were crying.”

“I didn’t cry,” said Remiel. “I felt like it, but I didn’t.”

“Why?” 

“I don’t know.” Remiel rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I’ve just been emotional lately. I think it’s stress. I’ll be fine.”

Zak leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest so he wouldn’t be tempted to touch Remiel again. “It’s more than stress. What’s bothering you?”

“I don’t know… I guess… since I found out about Alex’s dance class, everything feels off.” Remiel glanced out the bedroom window. “Sometimes it feels like there’s this storm on the horizon that’s going to rip everything apart. I can feel the energy in the air, and I almost want it to break, just so I can breathe again.”

Zak moved closer, but he kept his hands tucked beneath his folded arms. “How long have you felt this way?” His voice had slipped into the formal, no-nonsense tone he used while extracting information from patients at work.

“Since the beginning of the year, I suppose.”

Intently, Zak examined Remiel’s eyes. “Do you ever actually see the storm?”

Remiel leaned away from his boyfriend’s scrutinizing gaze. “I’m not hallucinating, Zak. It’s a metaphor. I just feel it in my chest.”

Suddenly, Sophie peeked around the corner. “I’m taking the boys downstairs to order dinner.” She paused, looking between them. “Hey, um, is everything alright?”

“It’s fine, Sophie,” said Remiel. “I was just coming out.” He took a step toward her and the door, but Zak’s arm shot out and blocked his path. 

“Wait,” Zak instructed Remiel. Then he turned to Sophie. “Can you give us a few?”

Remiel pushed Zak’s hand down. “No. We don’t need a few anything,” he insisted.

“Zoph?” Zak implored. 

Sophie bit her lip. She was curious. She could tell something was going on, but she trusted Zak to work it out. “Sure,” she said. “I’ll walk the boys around the block a couple times. See if I can get them to burn off some of their energy before we go into the tavern. We’ll be gone about an hour, but no longer, because I still have a shift tonight.”

“I remember,” said Zak. “Thanks.”

Remiel’s feathers bristled. “You know I don’t like it when you two ignore me.”

Sophie stepped into the room and gave Remiel a quick kiss on the cheek. “You’ll be fine. Love you.” She kissed Zak, too, then stepped back out into the living room. In a cheerful voice, she declared, “Alright, let’s go!” In less than a minute, she had Alex and Uzzi out the door.

After the boys left, Zak crossed his arms over his chest again. “Tell me about the storm.”

Remiel rolled his eyes and tried to walk past his boyfriend. Zak wasn’t having it. He grabbed Remiel and flung him up over his shoulder. Remiel let out a surprised squeak, but he didn’t have time to protest before Zak walked the three steps across the room and flung him on the bed. 

“Zak!” Remiel exclaimed. He started to sit up, but the older boy pushed him back down. 

Zak sat on Remiel’s stomach. He gazed down without any of the playfulness this position usually brought. His fingers lightly touched Remiel’s chest, the warmth of his healing energy curling into him. His brow furrowed and his fingers twitched. “You’ve felt this way since the beginning of the year?”

“What way?” Remiel asked. He knew Zak wasn’t going to hurt him, but his pulse raced all the same.

“The storm on the horizon. The sense of dread that leaves your chest tight and your heart pounding…” He closed his eyes and tilted his head, focused on what he sensed within Remiel. “You’re afraid.”

“I am not afraid of you,” said Remiel.

As the healing energy receded, Zak opened his eyes. “Not of me,” he said. “Of everything. Your body is operating on fight or flight mode, but there’s no threat, so you’re just exhausted and uneasy all the time.” He moved back so he was sitting on Remiel’s thighs, then pulled Remiel upright before he announced his diagnosis. “Rem, you’ve got anxiety.”

Even though Zak just described exactly how he had been feeling the last several weeks, Remiel scoffed. “I do not have anxiety. I am happier than I’ve ever been.”

“I’m a healer, Rem. I can tell when you’re putting too much stress on your body.”

Slightly frustrated with the boy on his lap, Remiel placed his hands on Zak’s hips, looked him sternly in the eye, and said, “My life if perfect. I have you and Sophie. I’m finally in my specialization. I’m off restricted usage. I have my own money. I have nothing to be anxious about! In fact, I haven’t had anxiety since I was a kid and still cared about what people thought of me.” 

Zak huffed with an incredulous laugh. “Seriously, Rem?”

“What?” 

“You.” 

Remiel’s brow furrowed. “What?” he asked again, confused.

Shaking his head, Zak left Remiel’s lap and climbed off the bed. “You are the most self-conscious person I’ve ever met. You’re always saying that you don’t care, but you’re just talk. And you seriously don’t even realize it!” Zak threw his hands up in the air and started pacing. 

Remiel had never seen Zak upset with him like this. He bit his lip folded his legs in. “I don’t understand.”

Zak stopped and turned toward him sharply. “You talk of everything being perfect, but it’s not. You’re overwhelmed with the workload in your new classes, because every evening, you’re acting as matron to Alex and his friends. You’re off restricted usage, but have you told the instructors about the firecord yet?” 

Remiel didn’t respond. He hadn’t.

“I didn’t think so,” Zak continued. “You stay up until dawn most nights making that stuff, but if they find out, you’re still going to get in trouble, aren’t you? And for what? Money for more jewelry? You don’t need it, Rem.”

That wasn’t why Remiel need the money, but he didn’t interrupt Zak. He had never really explained it to anyone, not even Sophie. Then again, there was a lot he had never really explained. 

“And as for Sophie and me…” Zak paused, looking away. “You say you love us both, but you’re embarrassed to be seen with me. You’re terrified of anyone finding out about us.” Zak turned back to Remiel, meeting his eye. “You keep pretending everything is fine, but it’s not. The stress is building up in you, and it’s going to become too much.”

Remiel stared at Zak, a little overwhelmed by how honest and forthright his usually cheerful boyfriend was. “You really think I’m embarrassed by you?” he finally managed to ask.

Zak sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, his back to Remiel. “I don’t know what to think. You’re young. You’re dealing with a lot. I know I need to be patient, but it hurts, Rem.”

There was such pain in Zak’s voice. Remiel felt his chest ache. He hadn’t meant to hurt him. He crawled over to Zak, hesitating a moment before he wrapped his arms around his boyfriend’s wings and shoulders. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. He touched his forehead to the back of Zak’s head. “I’m not embarrassed by you. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Zak squeezed his arm. “And Sophie. And I hate needing to hide that. I thought I could wait until you both were ready, but you don’t even seem to realize how hard it is for me.”

“I do,” said Remiel. “I mean, I do now… I’m sorry. I haven’t been a very good boyfriend, have I?”

Zak leaned back against Remiel. “I want you to be happy, Rem. I want to be part of your happiness. But if hiding our relationship is making you more stressed, maybe we shouldn’t-”

“Don’t even say it!” Remiel squeezed Zak to him and pressed his face against his neck. “Don’t you dare say it. I don’t want to be without you.”

Reaching back, Zak gently stroked Remiel’s hair. “I don’t want that either. But I don’t want to be part of the reason you’re stressed.”

“You’re not! Zak, I swear, I’ve never been as happy as I am with you and Sophie, and if I’ve got anxiety, it’s because I’m dumb, and I’m scared, and I don’t want people to hate you. You mean too much to me.” A tear slid from Remiel’s eye and dripped onto Zak’s neck. “I can’t stand the thought of anyone not seeing how wonderful and perfect you are, just because you’re with me, and I’m-”

Zak turned in Remiel’s arms, muffling his confession with a kiss. He held Remiel’s face as he pressed their mouths together. Zak trembled slightly as his desire to remain close to Remiel spilled out. 

It was the first time Remiel had ever really acknowledged how vulnerable Zak could be. He was strong and composed most the time, but he could be just as uncertain as the rest of them. 

Remiel loved him even more in that moment. 

Gently, Remiel leaned against Zak, guiding him down onto the bed. He maintained the kiss, afraid of loosing that connection with his boyfriend until he had him on his back. Remiel continued to kiss Zak as he slid his hand down the Terran’s body, slipping his hand under the waist of Zak’s pants. Zak was soft, but his body quickly responded to Remiel’s warm touch.

“Wait,” Zak breathed into the kiss. “The boys.”

Remiel sat up so he could look at his boyfriend. Zak was beautiful. His white wings framed him on the bed. A few of his tight curls had come loose from his tie, including one that draped across his forehead. Zak’s breathing quickened as Remiel’s fingers continued to stroke him.

“Sophie said we had an hour. I can be quick.”

“Rem-”

“Let me suck you off, Zak.” He pushed Zak’s pants lower on his hips, freeing his growing erection. “I want taste you. I want to curl my tongue around your thick cock as you fill my mouth. I want my lips stretched around the base of you as I take you into my throat, and I want to suck you until you come and fill me with every last drop.” Zak’s breath caught as Remiel spoke. The heat of his arousal radiated from his skin. “If the boys come back before I’m done, I’ll just explain that when two people are in love, sometimes they need time alone together.” 

“Fiends,” Zak laughed huskily. “Anyone ever tell you that you talk too much?” 

Remiel grinned. “All the time.” He bent down then, drawing Zak into his mouth and eagerly doing all the things he promised. 

***

Despite what Remiel said, neither of them wanted to get caught in the act by the boys. Laughing and lighthearted, they quickly showered in the cold water after to remove the scent of their activities. Remiel purified the room with a few snaps of electricity, leaving the air smelling like ozone, not hasty sex. 

They weren’t sure how long they had until Sophie brought the boys back, so Zak and Remiel waited in the lounge together. Zak leaned against some pillows and Remiel lay with his head on his boyfriend’s thigh. 

“Your hair still smells like me,” said Zak. Neither of them had washed their hair or wings, since they didn’t have time to dry completely or preen.

Remiel rubbed his head against Zak’s leg. “If anyone notices, we’ll just tell them we were wrestling.”

“Oh?” asked Zak, amused. “Who won?”

“Obviously, I did,” said Remiel.

Zak laughed. “You? There’s no way you would win against me in wrestling.”

“Oh, yeah?” Remiel challenged.

With a grin, Zak grabbed him. Remiel squirmed and twisted, but Zak had apparently had some formal training at one point, because he was good. When Sophie finally arrived back with the boys and dinner, Remiel was pinned to the floor with a triumphant Zak effortlessly holding him in place.

“Knock, knock!” Sophie said loudly. “I am back with two young, impressionable boys! We are coming inside!” She was holding a big box, blocking the way so Uzzi and Alex couldn’t charge inside yet.

Zak hopped off Remiel. “Welcome back,” he said. “Let me help.”

Sophie gave him a grateful smile. “Thanks. Everything okay?” 

“Uh huh.” Zak took the box and brought it into his small kitchen. “Wow, this is a lot of food.”

Once Sophie saw both Zak and Remiel were clothed, she let the boys charge into the room. Remiel sat up, rubbing his shoulder, as Uzzi crashed onto the pillows beside him. 

“Most the food is Alex’s,” said Uzzi, stretching out with a satisfied groan.

“We got enough to share,” the black-haired boy said as he followed Uzzi to the lounge. Alex tilted his head and examined Remiel. “You okay?”

Remiel stopped rubbing his shoulder. It wasn’t that sore, though he knew not to challenge Zak to a wrestling match again. Not unless he was looking to get pinned. “I’m fine,” Remiel said quickly. “Zak is apparently a very good wrestler.”

“Being better than you doesn’t make me good,” said Zak. “It just makes you too pretty to have learned how to fight.”

“Ha ha,” said Remiel dryly. “I can fight.”

“Without energy?” Zak asked, glancing over. Remiel made a face at him, and Zak smiled. “That’s what I thought. My older brothers taught me how to defend myself. I know all the basics, which is just enough to keep me out of trouble.”

“Really?” asked Sophie. “Can you show me?”

“I could pin Rem to the floor again,” suggested Zak. 

Sophie’s eyes sparkled mischievously. “Maybe later.” 

Zak flashed her a quick grin that was filled with the promise of things to come. 

As Remiel realized what they were plotting, his cheeks flushed. The last time Zak and Sophie looked at each other like that, they had a bet on how many times they could make him orgasm in a night. They pretended it was research for their medical training, but by the end of the night, Remiel was a mess. They had drained him of everything, including his will to resist them. He’d been so sensitive as the dry spasms continued to wrack his body, he’d only been able to mewl and beg. He had no clue what his final count had been, but Sophie won. Zak still thought Remiel could have gotten five more, but he conceded as the first light of dawn touched the horizon. Remiel had fallen asleep in their arms, their soft kisses and gentle hands easing him down from a relentless night of pleasure.

At the thought of being at their mercy again, Remiel couldn’t help but smile. Fiends, he loved being with those two. He trusted them completely, even when they pushed him to the edge of that he thought he could handle.

Uzzi caught the bundle of food Zak tossed over. He handed it to Alex, then caught the next. As the boys sat together and opened their dinners, Uzzi said, “You know, I can fight, too.”

“You can not,” Sophie scoffed.

“I can!” the fiery boy insisted. “I’ve been studying all the fiends weaknesses for years. When I grow up, I’m going to go into the military and destroy them all. I’ll be the hero of E’din, like General Michael and General Seraphiel.”

“You’d get your ass kicked by a bog hopper,” said Sophie.

Uzzi’s wings puffed and his cheeks reddened. “I’ll kick your ass, Sophie.”

“Language,” Remiel scolded. Zak tossed him one of the bundles of food from the box. It was warm and smelled delicious. Remiel hadn’t realized he was hungry before then. 

“She said it first!” Uzzi complained.

“You eating with us?” Zak asked Sophie. He held out a bundle of food for her. 

“Of course.” She walked over and took the food from him. “Why ask?”

“When does your shift start tonight?”

“It starts at-” Sophie quickly looked outside. “Oh, shit! I’m going to be late.” She dropped the bundle on the counter and ran into the bedroom.

Zak laughed and picked the food back up. He added it, along with a few more items, to the small bag Sophie usually brought with her for lunch.

Sophie emerged from the bedroom a few moments later in her work clothes, struggling to tie her wild hair back. She came over to the boys as she got her hair restrained. She patted Alex’s black hair gently, flicked Uzzi in the forehead and told him, “No fire,” then kissed Remiel on the cheek. 

“Have fun tonight,” she told them, while Uzzi glared up at her and rubbed his forehead. Then she was off, running over to grab the bag Zak held for her at the door. She popped up on her toes, kissed him too, and was out the door.

For a second after she left, the apartment was completely silent. Then, eyes focused on Zak, Uzzi asked, “Why did my sister kiss you?”

Remiel and Zak shared a look. Neither of them knew what to say, but they didn’t have to. 

Between bites of food, Alex calmly announced, “They’re dating.”

“What?” Uzzi looked at Alex. 

“Sophie, Remi, and Zak are together.”

“No way. Since when?” Uzzi scoffed.

“Last Blight.” Alex put more food in his mouth. As he chewed, he looked up and realized all eyes were on him. He paused a moment before he swallowed. “Is something wrong?”

Remiel had trouble finding his voice. “Um, Alex, did Sophie tell you that?”

Alex frowned, perplexed. “No. Was I not supposed to know?”

“It’s okay,” Remiel assured him. “But why didn’t you say anything before?”

“I didn’t think it mattered,” Alex said, then he resumed eating from the bundle of food.

“So it’s true?” Uzzi asked, looking first at Remiel, then at Zak. 

“It’s, um…” Remiel hesitated.

“Yes,” said Zak. He straightened his shoulders and walked over. “It’s true. I love your sister very much, and I love Rem, too.” He knelt beside Remiel, across from Uzzi and Alex, and offered his hand to his boyfriend.

The red dots of Uzzi’s eyebrows furrowed as Remiel timidly placed his hand in Zak’s. Their fingers entwined, holding tight to each other as they waited for the fiery young boy’s reaction.

Uzzi’s face went through a range of emotions, but at the end, he glanced at Alex, who was still calmly focused on finishing his meal. Uzzi frowned a bit as he looked back at Remiel and Zak. “You guys are weird,” he decided. “Don’t know how one of you could date my sister, let alone both.”

Remiel breathed a sigh of relief. “You’re not angry?”

“It’s… confusing, I guess…” Uzzi shrugged. “I don’t know. Do you all kiss each other? And other stuff?”

“Not that it’s any of your business,” said Zak, “but yes.”

Uzzi wrinkled his nose. “Yuck.” He turned to Alex. “You really knew?”

Alex licked the last of his meal from his fingers. As he stood up, he nodded to Zak and Remiel’s clasped hands. “They’re wearing matching rings. Can I get more to eat?”

“Yeah, kid, there’s plenty,” said Zak. He squeezed Remiel’s hand as they both watched the black-haired boy walk over and rummage through the box Sophie brought up from the tavern. 

“My dad is going to combust,” said Uzzi thoughtfully. He picked at the unfinished food in his lap.

“I don’t think Sophie is ready to tell him or your mom yet,” said Remiel. “Can you keep it a secret for a little while?”

“I won’t tell them, but Sophie owes me,” said Uzzi. “No more pinching my cheeks and yelling at me.”

Remiel smiled at the fiery boy. “That is something you’ll have to work out with your sister.”

Uzzi nodded, looking up at Remiel and Zak. “So… If you both marry my sister, does that mean I’ll get two brothers?”

Marriage was a complex topic that Remiel hadn’t even discussed with Zak and Sophie. Because of what he was, he knew it wasn’t possible, but now was not the time to get into it. 

Zak sensed Remiel’s uneasiness. “I wouldn’t mind having a little brother like you,” he said cheerfully. He jumped up. “How about I show you some defensive moves, like my brothers did with me?”

Uzzi’s eyes brightened. “Really?” 

“Sure.” Zak moved some pillows so they had room to practice. Uzzi sat his partially eaten dinner aside and joined him. Remiel leaned back and nibbled on his remaining food. It always amazed him how quickly Zak could get people to be comfortable with him. He was such a likable man.

“Okay, first, you stand like this,” said Zak, showing Uzzi the starting move. “Then like this.” They slowly moved through the first five paces of a mock fight.

Alex walked back over, his cheeks already stuffed with food as he sat beside Remiel. He watched Uzzi and Zak while he chewed. When he swallowed, he said, “I know this dance.”

“Dance?” Remiel looked over at the boy. 

Alex nodded and stuck a ball of sticky rice in his mouth. He tucked it in his cheek and spoke around it. “It was one of the ones Kamberli showed me in the extra lessons.”

Uzzi laughed. “It’s not a dance, it’s-”

Remiel held up his hand, cutting him off. “Can you show us, Alex?”

“Now?” Alex looked at his food. 

“Just real quick.”

“Yes, Remi,” the boy sighed. He took another bite of his food, then got up. He approached Zak while Uzzi skeptically got out of the way. 

Uncertainly, Zak bowed when Alex did. They mirrored each other’s posture, then Alex began. Zak responded automatically, the surprise at Alex’s ability falling away as he fell into the rhythm of the sparring form. Alex’s moves came with a steady flow and gracefulness, as if they were just part of a dance, but there was no doubting what Remiel saw. 

Alex had been trained to fight.

The longer it went on, the faster Alex moved, and the more trouble Zak had keeping up. Alex twisted, kicking high toward Zak’s head. His foot stopped just before touching Zak’s cheek. His emotionless black eyes stared up at the panting Terran. “You’re supposed to duck,” he said. He lowered his leg, straightened his clothes, and returned to his food.

Breathing hard, Zak said, “Yeah, well, I’m out of practice.” 

“That was so cool!” Uzzi exclaimed.

“Kamberli taught you that?” asked Remiel.

Alex nodded and resumed eating. “She said it’s called the Crane’s Dance, but Tevrans said the Isten stole it from the Jinn, and it’s really about the royal pixies in Tiernoc.”

Remiel blinked at the black-haired boy. Uzzi huffed. “Tevrans is a liar.”

“He is not,” Alex replied sharply. 

“There’s no such thing as royal fiends,” Uzzi said.

Before the boys could get into another argument, Remiel cautiously said, “I think I’m going to need to talk with your dance instructor.”

This time, Zak didn’t tell him he was overreacting.


	11. Alex: 25th Degree of Sun and Moon, 596 DE

Alex lay beside Uzzi in the blanket fort Zak helped them build. It was tied up with rope, more like a tent than a fort, and filled with every pillow Zak owned. The boys had created a cozy nest, heated by the warmth that emanated from Uzzi’s body. 

It was comfortable there. Private, like they were in their own world, even with Remiel and Zak sleeping just through the open door.

The music from the tavern below still played, but it was a slow melody. The band was winding down, preparing for the tavern to close. Alex wouldn’t be able to sleep with the music still playing, but that was okay. He didn’t mind laying among the pillows watching Uzzi sleep.

Alex reached out, cautious. His fingers hovered over Uzzi’s skin, not touching him, but feeling the heat that surrounded him. The fiery boy burned hotter while he slept. Alex wondered if it would hurt to touch him.

“Alex?” 

The whispered name snapped Alex out of his reverie. He jerk his hand back. Uzzi’s eyes were open. He was watching him.

“Sorry,” Alex said quickly. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Can’t sleep?” asked Uzzi. He shifted closer, laying on his side before Alex.

“Not really… It’s the music.”

Uzzi nodded. The red dots of his eyebrows scrunched. “Hey… If you knew… Why didn’t you tell me about my sister dating Remi and Zak?”

“I didn’t think it mattered.” Alex held his hand to his chest. He searched Uzzi’s face for clues to how he was feeling. “Are you mad?”

“No, but… It’s weird. How can all three of them like each other together?”

“They’re friends. It’s not so weird.”

“But they’re more than friends. They kiss.” He shook his head. “I couldn’t stand sharing like that. If I knew anyone else had ever kissed you-” Uzzi’s words cut off. He stared at Alex like he’d been caught doing something wrong.

Alex watched Uzzi for a moment. He felt strange. His pulse had increased, but he wasn’t scared. “I won’t let anyone else kiss me,” he whispered. He reached out and touched Uzzi’s hand. His skin was hot, but it didn’t hurt.

Uzzi’s eyes were wide, like he was nervous. He linked his fingers with Alex’s, then leaned forward in the small space. The blanket fort and slow music surrounded them, protecting them from the rest of the world as their lips touched. 

The kiss was gentle. Uzzi didn’t force his tongue into Alex, or crush their mouths together until Alex’s lips bruised. He didn’t bite him or draw blood, or do anything that made him hurt at all.

It was soft and warm, and Alex forgot to breath while Uzzi touched him.

Uzzi pulled away, his eyes searching Alex’s face. “Was that okay?” he asked. “I-I’ve never kissed anyone before.” 

Alex nodded. He didn’t trust himself to speak.

“Can I do it again?” Uzzi asked.

Alex hesitated, but only briefly. He nodded again, and Uzzi’s mouth was against his once more.

Kissing was different with Uzzi. The hot press of the fiery boy’s lips left Alex feeling strange inside. Uzzi was gentle, though a little awkward. They bumped noses a couple times.

The boys closed their eyes as they focused on the soft way their lips touched. They kissed for a while, and Alex caught himself thinking that, maybe, this wasn’t so bad.

That was, until Uzzi let go of Alex’s hand. The fiery boy touched Alex’s waist, just resting his hand there, but the contact was sudden and unexpected. Alex flinched, breaking away from the kiss. 

“Wait,” he said.

“Sorry,” Uzzi replied quickly. “I didn’t mean to startle you.” He held his hands up and leaned back. 

Breathing fast, Alex realized his body had reacted while Uzzi kissed him, becoming hard. Ashamed, he rolled away, pulling pillows to himself to hide in. 

“Alex?”

“Don’t touch me!” he pleaded. He closed his eyes tight, Jequn’s words looming over him. 

_The moment you let yourself get close to anyone, they’ll know…_

_What you really are…_

_What you’ve done…_

_They’ll know…_

“Alex? Are you okay?”

“We’re going to wake Remi and Zak. We need to stop.” 

“Alex-”

“Please, Uzzi, don’t. J-Just leave me alone. I’m tired. I need to sleep.” He pulled his wing over himself, hiding beneath his feathers. 

Uzzi was silent for a little while. The music from the tavern had stopped, and all Alex could hear was the panicked beating of his own heart. Alex could tell his friend was still watching him. 

Finally, Uzzi sighed heavily. “Good night, Alex,” he said, sounding frustrated. He lay on the other side of the fort, but it was a long while before either of them fell asleep.


	12. Remiel: 1st Degree of Tides, 596 DE

The first of the month came. Alex and Uzzi returned to Archridge for class, but Remiel remained in Marut. He had gotten permission from Headmaster Iscriel to skip a day of classes for “important Isten business regarding the Ahnnak Alexiel,” as he explained it. Iscriel hadn’t questioned him, and Remiel hadn’t mentioned that he probably only needed the afternoon off, because that was when the dance instructor would be at the theater. 

Remiel knew he was taking advantage of the trust Iscriel placed in him, but he reasoned that it would be easier to prepare to confront Kamberli if he was already in Marut. Plus, after a long weekend with the boys around, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to spend the night with Sophie and Zak alone. It had been worth it, but now, Remiel was just as nervous about talking to Kamberli as he would have been leaving from the academy.

“You sure you won’t come with me?” he asked.

“I’ve got a shift at the hospital tonight,” said Zak while he gathered his thick hair up. “My adviser is going to be shadowing me. I can’t be late.”

“I didn’t know you had an evaluation today,” remarked Sophie as she nuzzled in closer to Remiel on the bed. Remiel was sitting at the edge of the bed, lacing up his boots, but the way Sophie wrapped around him made him desperately want to stay with her.

Still trying to persuade Zak, Remiel said, “I don’t think this will take long. I’m sure I’ll be done before Archridge gets out.” 

“I really can’t miss this shift,” said Zak. “Not all of us have a free pass through medic training.”

“They’re critical of me, too,” said Sophie defensively. She sat up and draped herself across Remiel’s back and wings, resting her chin on his shoulder. 

“Yeah, but Shira likes you more than me.” Zak got his hair under control and straightened the smooth linen of his medic intern uniform. 

“Everybody likes you, Zak. Just do your best. Don’t worry so much.”

“I’m not worried. I just can’t be late.” He came over to them and bent down. He kissed Sophie first, then Remiel. “I should be home by dinner,” he told him. “Will you be coming back after?”

“As long as I can work everything out with the instructor,” said Remiel, gazing up at Zak. Between the two Terran was exactly where Remiel wanted to be, but he had to stay focused. “I need to figure out why she’s been teaching Alex how to fight. If it’s just a misunderstanding, I’ll swing by the academy and pick Alex up for the class tonight. If not…” Remiel didn’t want to think about it. Breaking the news to Alex that he would no longer be attending dance class was going to be difficult.

“Maybe she really was just trying to help,” said Zak. He gave Remiel a reassuring smile, but before he could say more, there was a knock at the apartment door. Zak’s brow furrowed. “Were you guys expecting anyone?”

“No,” said Sophie. She twisted one of Remiel’s brown curls around her finger. “It’s probably one of the little old ladies who comes to have tea with your neighbor.”

Remiel nodded. “I bet they got the door mixed up again.” He stood, slipping away from Sophie. “Go ahead and finish getting ready, Zak. I’ll go talk to them.” He walked by Zak, earning a pat on his butt, before he left the bedroom. Still grinning, Remiel approached the apartment door and threw it open.

His smile dropped. Instead of a confused, tiny woman on the walkway, Remiel was faced with three large Terran officers. They wore Marut security uniforms, complete with heavy weaponry. Remiel’s heart skipped a beat.

The one in the front stepped forward. He was a big man with a high rank embroidered onto his epaulets. His spoke with a deep rumble, completely confident he already knew the answer to his question. “Are you the Ahnnak Remiel, unclaimed son of the Ahnnak Nuriel, disgraced daughter of the fourth Ahnnak Nakir, honor be with his name, second son of the Isten Abbadon?”

Remiel swallowed hard. Sophie and Zak had emerged from the bedroom while the officer proclaimed the extended version of his formal title. Remiel felt his stomach twist in knots. He had difficulty whispering the single affirmation.

“Yes.”

“You and your accomplices are to be taken in for questioning regarding known alliances with Jinn sympathizers charged with treason against the Isten. Should you resist, we are authorized by the Isten Ahriman, Overseer of Justice, to use whatever force is necessary, up to and including termination of life. Do you understand?” 

One of the officers behind the Terran put her hand on her sword. She watched Remiel like she actually expected him to run. Even if he had wanted to, Remiel’s legs wouldn’t work. He felt like the floor had dropped out from under him.

“I understand,” he said. He held out his left hand, and not for the first time in his life, a metal manacle was locked in place around his wrist. The blue glyphs glowed briefly, syncing with his energy, and he knew he no longer had control over the elements. 

“Hey, what’s going on?!” Sophie exclaimed, rushing forward. “You can’t-”

“Seize them,” the high-ranked officer announced. The other two lunged forward as Remiel was pulled out of the way.

“Don’t hurt them!” he cried. The officer held him back effortlessly, and Remiel could only watch as his boyfriend and girlfriend were subdued and hauled from the apartment after him. Their wrists were bound with thinner versions of the manacle around his wrist. 

“It is not them you need to worry for, bastard of the Ander Masrem,” the guard said low in his ear as they watched Zak and Sophie struggle against their captors. “And I would suggest you don’t speak again until you are asked a question.”

Remiel obeyed, because at that moment, he didn’t have any other choice.


	13. Alex: 1st Degree of Tides, 596 DE

Alex landed in Marut by himself. Remiel hadn’t met him after class today, but the older Ahnnak had been acting weird since last weekend. Alex worried Remiel was more upset than he appeared about Alex revealing his relationship with Zak and Sophie. He wished he hadn’t said anything, but he hadn’t realized it was a secret. Nobody had told him, but the three of them weren’t that careful about hiding it, either. They kissed each other and held hands a lot.

Still, even if Remiel was upset, Alex didn’t want to miss his dance class. It was the first class of the month, when Instructor Kamberli demonstrated the new moves they would be working on over the coming weeks. Alex always felt he understood better if he saw it all at once. Everything just made more sense then.

Alex’s black hair still hung loose around his shoulders when he arrived at the theater. He wasn’t very good at tying it up himself, since Remiel had always done that before they flew in. Maybe Nenghi would help him before class started. She was good at things like that.

Except, as Alex walked in, he didn’t see Nenghi anywhere. A lot of the students hadn’t arrived yet. On the stage, where Kamberli should have been, was a tall, stern-looking Terran woman with grey hair. Her eyes fell on Alex, and he froze.

“No questions,” she announced sharply. “Prepare for class. Line up and perform silent stretches.”

Alex frowned. He looked around the theater. Had he mistakenly walked into the wrong place?

“Young Terran!” the woman snapped. “Don’t dawdle! What is your name?”

Alex cringed, pulling his wings in tight against his back. “A-Alex.”

The woman’s stern glare softened. A wide grin stretched her face. “Ah, the Ahnnak Alexiel. I’ve heard so much about you. Come up here, let me look at you.”

Alex didn’t want to, but he didn’t understand what was going on. He approached cautiously, dropping his bag at the side of the stage with his shoes. 

The Terran woman gazed at him with admiration as he approached. “Yes, perfect. I can see the grace of the Isten within you,” she gushed. “Our star pupil.”

The way she spoke made Alex uncomfortable. He glanced around the stage, and realized all the other children were watching him. None of them seemed to know what was going on any more than he did.

“Where’s Instructor Kamberli?” he asked.

“Do not concern yourself with her. She won’t be coming back. This is now an Isten sanctioned class, and I will be your instructor.” She motioned toward the group. “It is time for warm ups. Please begin stretching.”

Even though he was still confused, Alex was relieved to move away from the Terran woman. He started toward the back of the group, where he normally stood. He hoped Nenghi would be there soon. Maybe she knew what was going on.

“Ahnnak Alexiel?” the woman’s stern voice called after him.

He stopped and turned, watching her. 

“I want you front and center. You are the pride of this troupe after all. Everyone else has much to learn from watching an Ahnnak. It is a blessing to have you in our presence.”

It didn’t feel like a blessing. Alex could feel the resentment and envy radiating from the other dancers. He was the newest among them. He didn’t belong in the front. He didn’t want to _be_ in the front. He just wanted to be left alone!

“I can’t do this,” Alex decided. He turned around, leaving the stage. He hopped down and picked up his shoes. 

“Ahnnak Alexiel, return to the group,” commanded the Terran woman. 

“No,” Alex said as he pulled on his silk boots. He didn’t bother lacing them back up. “I quit.”

“Quit? You can’t quit!” She moved toward him.

“I can,” he said, standing with his bag. “I am. I’m leaving.”

The woman reached him. “You will go nowhere until this class is over, Ahnnak Alexiel. I will not tolerate-”

She didn’t get to finish, because as she spoke, she reached out and grabbed Alex’s arm. He didn’t think. His body moved on its own. One second, she was there, and the next, she was on the ground, staring up at him with shock.

Alex blinked. He didn’t know what had happened until whispers from the other children on stage reached him. 

“He attacked the instructor… he hit her… did you see him move?”

_No. This was all wrong_. 

Everything got too loud at once. Clinging to his bag, Alex turned and ran. He heard the woman shout his name. He didn’t know if she tried to follow him, but he wasn’t going to risk it. 

He needed to find Remiel _right now_.

***

The twisting streets of Marut were confusing without his friends at his side. Alex dodged through the crowds in the markets, ignoring the attempts of people trying to talk to him. Maybe some of them could have helped, but maybe they’d already heard what he had done and would try to stop him, too. He just kept moving, trying not to let the noise overwhelm him.

Eventually, Alex recognized the street that led to the tavern under Zak’s apartment. He was so relieved to have found it, tears started dripping down his cheeks. He walked toward the stairs around back as he sniffled, trying to keep himself together. 

Remiel had to be here. He probably came straight over after class finished because he was still angry at Alex for revealing his secret. 

Alex would beg for forgiveness. He would do whatever was necessary to apologize, because he needed his tutor. He needed his friend.

Remiel always knew what to do. He could fix this.

Alex knocked on the door to Zak’s apartment, but after the second tap, the door swung open. It hadn’t been latched. “Hello?” Alex called. He sniffled and swallowed, trying to clear the tightness in his throat. A little louder he called, “Hello? Remi…? Sophie…? Z-Zak?”

There was no answer from the apartment.

Alex entered. Sophie’s and Zak’s shoes were by the door. He cautiously peeked into the bedroom, hoping they were just sleeping, but there was no one there. 

The apartment was completely empty. 

The darkness that surrounded Alex pressed in. He was alone. He was scared. Something terrible was happening, and Alex didn’t understand. There was too much noise. The city was too loud. _Why did everything have to be so loud?!_

Pain lanced through Alex’s chest. He felt his emotions spiraling out of control. The black energy within him surged, struggling to snap out from his body. Alex had to get out of there. He had to find somewhere safe he could hide. Everything was wrong. He had to escape.

That thought alone drove Alex from the apartment. He touched the door to close it, but to his horror, a black spark jumped from his fingertips to the wood. In steadily spreading fractals, the door began to dissolve to grey ash. Alex reeled back, distraught, not knowing how to stop it. He couldn’t stop anything.

Alex jumped to the roof. He took off from there, flying as fast as he could out of the city. He didn’t go back to Archridge. He couldn’t be around anyone. He needed to be alone.

As the sun set, Alex flew west, and he didn’t stop until he reached the deepening shadows of the forest.


	14. Remiel: 2nd Degree of Tides, 596 DE

The manacle glowed blue and stung Remiel’s skin when he snapped his fingers, just as it had done every time before. There was no crackle of electricity, no spark of fire, no burst of ice. Everything in the small stone room remained just as it had been, cold and empty, save for Remiel, the table, and the bench he sat on.

Remiel rested his chin on his arm as he stared at the manacle around his wrist. It was locked in a groove on the table, preventing him from walking around. He snapped his fingers again, just to see it glow, then he sighed and closed his eyes. 

Hours had passed since he’d been left there by the officer who arrested him at Zak’s apartment. He was hungry, he was tired, and worst of all, he had no idea if Sophie and Zak were safe. They had been separated as soon as they arrived at the security compound. The last Remiel saw of them, Sophie was yelling at the officers dragging her off, while Zak tried to calmly reason with his. They took him away, all the same.

Remiel had been escorted here, to this tiny interrogation room. The high-ranking officer with him secured him to the table before allowing a scribe to enter the room, as if Remiel were actually a threat. They asked him to verify his name and lineage, which he reluctantly did, and then they left him alone, giving him no idea of when anyone would be back to release him.

If they were going to release him.

Remiel snapped his fingers again, leaving his eyes closed against the glow of the manacle. Pain bit into his arm. The more energy he tried to push past the manacle, the more feedback he got from it, but activating it was the only thing he had to distract himself from the tedium of waiting. 

The manacle was technology from Ahn, powered by his own energy. The glyphs neutralized all his abilities, leaving him completely helpless until he was released, but this wasn’t the first time he’d been in this position.

The door opened suddenly. Remiel sat upright, blinking against the harsh glare of the light from the hall. A man entered who Remiel recognized, though he wasn’t pleased to see him.

“Wing Commander Laeshiel,” said Remiel, frowning up at his cousin.

“It’s General now, Remiel. You should make some effort to pay attention to these things.” Laeshiel brightened the phosphor lights in the room and closed the door behind him. He approached the table with a confident stride. 

Even though Laeshiel was a fifth generation Ahnnak, he was exactly what everyone expected of a descendant of the Isten Abbadon. The soft gold of his skin, the coral pink of his eyes, the smooth waves of his burgundy hair. He was perfect. He was everything Remiel would never have a chance of being.

“Are my friends okay?” Remiel asked.

“Friends?”

“Sophie and Zak.”

Laeshiel opened his wings as he sat, then folded them close to his back. “Who?”

“Zophiel. Tzakquiel. The Terran who were brought in with me.”

“Are they the ones who got you in trouble?”

Remiel rubbed his thumb against his index finger, creating enough friction for the glyphs on his manacle to glow, suppressing his energy with a small tingle. “I’m not in trouble. Neither are they. We’ve done nothing wrong.”

“You know, Remiel, I’m really tired of being called in the bail you out like this. Every couple years, it’s something new with you. Assaulting other kids, shoplifting, joining with terrorists, squandering the talents of our Isten with your pathetic hobbies- You’re an embarrassment to his name.” 

Remiel’s wings bristled. “I’m unclaimed. I don’t embarrass anyone but myself.”

Laeshiel waved his hands in the air, brushing away Remiel’s words. “That’s only for terms of inheritance, and you know it. The charges are serious this time. What were you thinking?”

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Remiel insisted. “I don’t even know why I’m here.”

Clicking his tongue, Laeshiel extracted a small scroll from inside his uniform. He unrolled it and began to read. “Due to affiliations with a known terrorist organization, the Ahnnak Remiel, unregistered son of the Ahnnak Nuriel and the Ander Masrem, has been detained for questioning. Investigations show frequent visits to an outpost of Jinn sympathizers, including the endangerment of a descendant of the Isten Jequn-”

“Sophie and Zak are not Jinn sympathizers!” Remiel exclaimed. “They’re healers! And I never put Alex in danger!” He stood and jerked at the manacle, wanting to be free of this damned place. It held firm to the table. In frustration, Remiel released a large surge of energy, hoping to overwhelm his binding, but the blue glyphs just flared. Pain shot into his wrist, and he sank back down with a grimace.

“Are you done?” Laeshiel asked, scowling at his outburst. Remiel nodded sullenly. “I’ve read your file. It’s clear you’re innocent this time, though why you must insist on antagonizing the local authorities is beyond me.”

Remiel’s wings slumped. He glared at his cousin. “I don’t understand.”

Laeshiel shook his head, disappointed. “Tell me what you know of the terrorists, Remiel, and I can get you out of here.”

“I don’t know any terrorists,” he insisted. He pushed his hand back through his thick hair, briefly revealing the row of gold rings up one of his ears. 

Pink eyes focused on the flash of gold. “What have you done to your ears?”

“Nothing,” Remiel said, letting his hair fall back in place. “They’re just piercings.”

“Gang indoctrination into a Terran cult.”

“What?! No! It’s fashion. Fiends, Laesh, do you seriously think I’m-”

“Language, Remiel. This is an official investigation. If there’s any truth in these accusations, you’re facing a conviction of treason.”

“Treason?” Remiel gasped, leaning back from the table as far as the manacle allowed him to go. He felt lightheaded. 

“That’s why I’m here,” Laeshiel said solemnly. “I can prevent this, but you’re going to need to be completely honest with me. Do you understand?”

Remiel nodded. “Yes.”

“Good. Now, tell me about the terrorists.” Laeshiel placed another scroll on the table, rolled it out, and began examining the information.

“Sophie… Zak… they’re not terrorists,” said Remiel. “They’re both healers. They wouldn’t hurt anyone. Please, they didn’t do anything-”

Laeshiel’s finger slid down a list of names on the scroll. “Not them,” he said. “I don’t care about those two. Their interrogations revealed they only got pulled into this because of their proximity to you. Though…” Laeshiel looked up, his pink eyes squinting skeptically at Remiel. “You’re dating them both?”

Remiel pinched the bridge of his nose. How could this day keep getting worse? “Yes,” he admitted.

“You know you can’t-”

“I know! Damn it, I know. Just don’t let them get hurt because of me.”

Laeshiel shrugged. “I’ll see what I can do.” He tapped the scroll. “After we’re done here. Tell me about Kamberliel.”

“The… the dance instructor?” Remiel blinked, completely caught off guard. “That’s who this is about?” 

Except then, every little thing that had bothered Remiel about the Terran woman suddenly made sense. He groaned, covering his face with his hand. “Shit.”

“Tell me everything you know about her.”

Remiel did. He started with when Alex asked to join last year, and ended with the discovery of Alex’s extra lessons with the assistant Tevrans. He didn’t know a lot, since Alex never traveled with the troupe when they preformed, but he tried to remember everything he could.

Taking notes on the the scroll, Laeshiel listened without interruption, but when Remiel mentioned Tevrans, he looked up. “You’ve met him?”

“Tevrans? No. Only what Alex told me.” Remiel frowned as he realized something. “Um, you guys aren’t going to arrest Alex, too, are you?”

Laeshiel rolled his eyes and went back to finishing his notes on the scroll. “Of course not. The boy is a first generation Ahnnak. He’d have to kill someone before anyone risked infringing on his Isten’s authority. You, however…” Laeshiel paused, signing the bottom of the scroll with a quick flourish. He sat the quill down and focused entirely on Remiel. “ _You_ do not have that luxury. As soon as your name was linked to this case, the officers here couldn’t wait to haul you in.”

“But I didn’t do anything wrong,” said Remiel, frustrated.

“The fact that you were ever born is wrong enough.”

Remiel tried not to let his cousin’s words hurt him, but it was hard. He looked away and bounced his leg to distract himself from the tears he felt sting the corners of his green eyes.

Laeshiel sighed heavily. “Listen, Remiel, I’m sympathetic to your troubles. I really am. I consider your brother a close friend, and I know the lengths he has to go through to remain credible. But he’s also proven himself loyal to our Isten. You’ve been given more leeway than either of your siblings, and yet you’re constantly in trouble. You’re eighteen. You have to understand that if you keep acting like this, _looking_ like this, the Isten Abbadon really will disown you, just like he did your mother when she eloped with that Ander.”

“Nobody should have to get permission to fall in love,” Remiel muttered.

While he rolled up the scroll, Laeshiel said, “As far as E’din is concerned, you are nobody.” He stood up and tucked the scroll in a belt under his wings. “Be obedient to your grandfather. Focus on your studies. For Ahn’s sake, get rid of the piercings and wear normal clothes. Then when you graduate, you can come work at the military base in Esh with your brother. We’ll get you a nice, steady clerical job, and hopefully in a couple centuries, everyone will have forgotten about _this_.” He motioned to all of Remiel when he said it.

“I don’t want to do any of that,” said Remiel. He glared up at his cousin. “Fiends, I wish Abbadon would just disown me.”

“You don’t mean that,” Laeshiel replied calmly. As he spoke, he removed a small key from a pouch at his side and held the flat piece of metal over the manacle. It popped free from the table, though it remained locked around Remiel’s wrist. “If you were disowned, I couldn’t come bail you out when you get in trouble. You’d lose all the protection and privileges you have under his name.” 

Remiel scoffed as he brought his hand to his chest. His arm was sore from being stuck in that position for so long. “What privileges? Abaddon has never even met me. My grandfather is a drunk fool. I’ve always taken care of myself, alone.”

Laeshiel looked down at him with pity. “Is that what you think?” He leaned on the table, looming over Remiel. “I don’t think you realize how close you came today to becoming a true Ander yourself. You and your _friends_.” 

Fear shot down Remiel’s spine as he met his cousin’s intense gaze. Laeshiel was serious. Remiel pulled his wings in tight against his back, unable to hide the tremble that raced through his feathers.

Laeshiel finally broke eye contact and stepped away from the table. With his back to Remiel, he adjusted the weapons slung around his hips and settled his wings with a quick flutter. He glanced back. “Coming?”

Remiel stood, nodding. “Yes. Um… T-Thank you,” he said. 

“Let’s go secure the release of your friends before they’re accidentally shipped off for judgment with the other traitors.” He opened the door and walked out. 

Remiel followed, needed to jog to catch up with his cousin. “That wouldn’t really happen, would it?” Laeshiel didn’t answer. He just kept walking at a brisk pace. Remiel had to run every couple steps to keep up with him. “General Laeshiel? They’re not really in danger, are they? Right? Laesh? Laesh?!”

***

Remiel nearly cried when he had Sophie and Zak back in his arms. He didn’t care that people were watching. He never wanted to let them go.

“Can this wait?” Laeshiel asked gruffly.

Remiel shook his head. It couldn’t. He wrapped one arm around Sophie’s waist and squeezed Zak to him with the other. 

Zak’s arms encircled both Remiel and Sophie. It was a protective gesture, though he hid his face in Remiel’s thick curls. His breath came in short gasps as he struggled not to break down from physical and emotional exhaustion.

“Are you okay?” Sophie asked, hers arms tight around Remiel’s neck. 

“I’m fine,” said Remiel. “Fiends, what did they do to you two?” Sophie’s cheek was bruised, and her lip split. Zak had bloody bandages around the ends of three fingers. Both of them still wore manacles, like Remiel, preventing them from accessing their healing abilities. 

Laeshiel cleared his throat. “It’s late,” he declared sharply. “If the three of you choose to remain much longer, we’ll put you back in your cells.”

Remiel extracted himself from his girlfriend and boyfriend’s embrace. He kept hold of both their hands, though they stayed behind his wings as he faced Laeshiel. “We’re ready to go,” Remiel announced. More than anything, he needed to get them out of here.

“I’ll escort you out. Follow me.” Laeshiel led the way down the hall with Remiel, Sophie, and Zak close behind. The entire time they walked through the security compound, Laeshiel kept his hand on his sword hilt. It was a formality, done for pretenses, but it annoyed Remiel all the same.

They left the building and crossed the yard, passing a dozen Marut security officers on their way. Each one saluted Laeshiel with a fist over their heart, a quick, “General Laeshiel,” and a bow when he passed. Laeshiel acknowledged each of them with a nod, but didn’t break his quick stride until they reached the gates of the security compound.

The air outside felt lighter. Remiel took a deep breath, trying to ease some of the tension in his chest. He hated this place. Up until he left the gates, he always felt like the officers were going to grab him and haul him back in.

Laeshiel turned toward the three of them. “Give me your wrists.” Remiel released Sophie and Zak’s hands as they each held out their left arm. Laeshiel started with Sophie. “This won’t hurt,” he told her softly. He held the flat key over her thin manacle, and the blue glyphs etched in the metal flared. It took some time for the lock to disengage, but it finally snapped open and dropped into Laeshiel’s hand. 

Sophie rubbed her wrist and took a step back from the General. As her energy reactivated, the bruising on her cheek faded and the split in her lip healed. She looked like she wanted to say something unpleasant, but she just pressed her lips together and glared.

Laeshiel moved to Zak next, holding his wrist still as waited for the key to deactivate the energy repression and lock. His pink eyes closely examined Zak’s face as the glyphs glowed a bright blue. 

“The Isten appreciate the service of all healers in E’din,” he said. “You go with their favor, but you should think carefully about who you associate with.”

“I do,” Zak replied, his voice strong despite the trembling of his outstretched hand.

Sophie snapped, “If we really had the favor of the Isten, we wouldn’t have been locked up and interrogated all night.”

“Regrettable, true, but an unfortunate side effect of the company you both choose to keep.” The manacle popped open, and Laeshiel removed it from Zak’s wrist. He placed both thin manacles in a pouch hanging from his belt, along with the key. “You’re free to go,” he announced.

“Wait,” said Remiel, still holding out his arm. “What about me?”

“ _You_ are on probation,” said Laeshiel. “Part of the arrangement to secure your release. That stays on until the end of Harvest.”

“That’s three months!” Remiel exclaimed. “I have classes! How am I supposed to-”

Laeshiel held up his hand. “I don’t care. Consider it better than the alternative.” 

Remiel lowered his arm. The manacle was thick and heavy. It would be hard to hide. “So what am I supposed to do?”

“Nothing, Remiel. That’s the point. Stay out of trouble. Until this investigation is over, I don’t want to hear another word about you from anyone. Understand?”

“Yes, General,” said Remiel with a defeated sigh.

“Good.” Laeshiel turned toward the gate, headed back inside the compound. Over his shoulder he called, “Get rid of the piercings, too. I’ll cut off your ears before I introduce you to our Isten looking like that.” The compound gate shut firmly behind him.

Remiel glared after his cousin for a moment before Sophie turned, facing him with wide eyes. “‘Our Isten?’”

With a tired shrug of his wings, Remiel remarked, “You always said you wanted to meet my family.” He exhaled heavily and let his wings droop. “We should… we should probably all talk.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Zak agreed. “But first, can we get something to eat? I’m starving.”

***

The only restaurant they were able to find open that late on a weeknight served some weird, thick soup, but they were all so hungry they didn’t care. They sat down, ordered bowls for everyone with a pot of tea to share, then sat quietly until the server returned to the kitchen at the back of the room. 

They were alone in the dining section, but Remiel still kept his voice low when he asked, “Are you hurt?” He knew he was delaying the inevitable, but he was really worried about them.

Sophie touched her cheek where the bruise had been. “I insulted a guard,” she said, proud and confident. “I’m fine now. They thought hitting me would make me talk, but I didn’t tell them anything.”

Quietly, Zak said, “I did.” He held up his three bandaged fingers. “They tore out my nails when I refused. They said they were sending me to Mahat.” 

Sophie bit her lip, her confident facade fading. She took Zak’s injured hand in hers. Her healing aura surrounded their linked fingers as she looked at him with sorrow. “They said the same to me… I… I might have talked a little…” She glanced at Remiel. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” said Remiel. “Whatever they asked you, whatever you said, it doesn’t matter.” 

“They asked a lot of questions about you,” Zak mentioned, his tone nearly accusatory. “Especially that General. You’re related to him?”

“He’s a cousin,” admitted Remiel. “His line descends through Abbadon’s first born and heir, but he’s fifth generation.”

“Why didn’t you ever tell us you had family in Marut?” asked Sophie.

“I don’t. Laeshiel isn’t stationed here. He’s from Esh. He’s just the nearest relative authorized to deal with me.”

“Deal with y- Wait, Esh?” Sophie tilted her head quizzically. “That’s the military base. He’s not a city guard?”

“No. He’s been with the military for about a century, though he was only a Wing Commander the last time I saw him about-” Remiel paused trying to remember when Laeshiel last came to Marut. “Four years ago? Maybe five. It was before Alex started at Archridge.”

“I had no idea,” said Sophie. “You never said anything about him.”

“I don’t like to talk about him.”

“It seems like there’s a lot you don’t like to talk about,” said Zak. “Some of the questions they asked about you… Is it true?”

Sophie swatted the back of Zak’s hand. “Of course it’s not true!” she exclaimed. “How could you even ask such a thing?”

“If it’s not true, why did they haul us in like that?” Zak regarded Remiel, his expression cautious. “Do you really know terrorists?”

“No, I-” 

Remiel stopped talking as the server emerged from the kitchen. She had a row of hot bowls balanced precariously on one arm. She sat the tea on the table before placing a bowl of soup and bread before each of them. The mixture within was dense and white, filled with chunks of unrecognizable, blanched vegetables, but it smelled edible. The server flipped the teacups over and poured their first round of tea, then returned to the kitchen.

“I don’t know terrorists,” Remiel whispered in a rush when she was gone. “Not on purpose.”

“You accidentally know terrorists?” Zak picked up his bowl and gulped down some of the hot soup, keeping his eyes on Remiel the whole time. 

“No, it’s… It’s Alex’s dance group.” Remiel broke off a piece of his bread and let it absorb some of the thick liquid. “Laesh told me about it while we were waiting for you. The instructor was using it as a front to smuggle supplies to other rings of Jinn sympathizers around E’din.”

“What?!” Sophie gasped, sitting her bowl back down. “How could they involve children like that?” 

“I think a lot of the families were part of it. Have been, for generations. They knew.”

“But you didn’t?” asked Zak.

“Of course I didn’t.” Remiel ate the piece of soup-soaked bread, chewing thoughtfully. “I mean, maybe I should have… I didn’t actually get authorization for Alex to be in the group. I didn’t think he would stay in it this long. If I had checked, an investigation would have shown this sooner. All of this is my fault.”

“It’s not your fault,” said Sophie. She looked sternly at Zak. “It’s not his fault. It was a mistake. They had no reason to drag us in.”

“Then why did they?” asked Zak, speaking sharply to Sophie. “They interrogated us like we were criminals. They locked us up for over half the day. They don’t take people away like that without reason.”

“That’s my fault, too,” said Remiel. “Because of what I am.”

“An Ahnnak?” Sophie asked.

Remiel shook his head.

“I think you need to start at the beginning,” Zak said firmly. 

Remiel sighed. Zak was right. They deserved to know the truth. “It’s a long story.”

“We’re not leaving until you explain everything,” said Zak.

“We’ll order more soup,” added Sophie. 

There really was no way Remiel was getting out of this. He took a deep breath and began. 

“My grandfather, Nakir, is the second descendant of the Isten Abbadon. He was the fourth Ahnnak born on this planet, but that’s the extent of his legacy. There’s still too much Ahn in him. He’s not sick, but he’s practically sterile, and my mother, Nuriel, was the only child he produced during four hundred years with my grandmother. One child would have been enough, except my mother was rebellious. She loved Ter, and didn’t want to be the perfect, obedient Ahn citizen her father read about in old scrolls. She wanted to live as part of this planet, among Homm and Terran. She was wild, and beautiful, and strong. At least, that’s what my sister told me. I don’t really remember my mother.”

Remiel paused and licked his dry lips. He couldn’t remember the last time he had spoken about this to anyone. Not by choice, at least. It was hard. 

“My mother and father met in Lemuria,” continued Remiel. “Nuriel was visiting with Nakir while he still had duties to the Isten Abbadon, but she had no obligation to remain inside the towers. While he worked, she went out and explored the city. She ended up somewhere she shouldn’t have been, and got mugged by a man wearing a cloak over his wings.”

Smiling slightly, Remiel said, “My sister, Nevembriel, used to tell me this story at bedtime when I was really little, but only when our grandfather was passed out drunk. She said as soon as Mom saw the bright green eyes of her attacker, their hearts joined…” He sighed, his smile fading. “But Nevembriel always was a bit of a romantic. 

“My mother wasn’t as helpless as the man attacking her expected. She disarmed him and pinned him to the ground, but rather than kill him or alert security, she asked him to dinner. He accepted. Nevembriel said because he felt the same connection our mother did, but I think he knew he didn’t have any other choices. But then again, something must have clicked between them, because they spent all night together. They stayed at the restaurant until it closed, then walked the city until dawn. When the morning sun rose, Nuriel asked for his name, and he reluctantly gave it to her. 

“‘Masrem,’ he said.

“‘Masremiel, I would like to see you again,’ she told him.

“‘There has been no honor attached to my name for a long time,’ he answered. And then he revealed to her what he really was and why he wore the cloak. Yet Nuriel still wanted to see him again. She found him each day she stayed in Lemuria, while her father worked. By the end of the month, when it was time for her to return home, she couldn’t imagine her life without Masrem. She went to her father and told him, but Nakir was furious. She had done something unforgivable. She had fallen in love without his permission.

“They fought. Nuriel refused to be controlled. She left Nakir, vowing never to return until he accepted her choices, then she found Masrem. They eloped and escaped the city together, finding a tiny corner of E’din where no one knew who they were. Nevembriel was born soon after, then Torkaiel. They both looked just like Masrem, expect their wings were white and his were…” 

Remiel hesitated. Even after all this time, it was hard to admit what his father really was.

“Remi?” Sophie reached across the table and touched his hand. He shook his head and pulled away from her. He had to tell them. He couldn’t keep hiding this from them, even if it meant he might lose them. 

“My father was an Ander,” he declared, saying the difficult words without emotion. It hurt, but it hurt more to see Sophie and Zak flinch. “He was already an Ander when he met my mother, but after they eloped, Nakir disowned Nuriel and registered Masrem as a traitor to E’din. It took fifteen years for the military to track them down, but when they did, it was because my mother had complications during childbirth. Masrem had to find a healer in town to help, and someone recognized him. They arrested him the day after I was born. He was sent for judgment in Mahat, and banished from E’din the following year.

“My mother left us. She crossed beyond the borders of E’din to find him, but when she tried to return, they were both killed. My sister, brother and I were located and sent to live with our grandparents. By then, my grandfather had already succumbed to the shame and disappointment of his offspring, drinking himself unconscious as often as he could. Our grandmother tried to care for us, but she was already very old. She was the one that insisted we be taught at Archridge, like all descendants of the Isten, but she died shortly after I began class here. My siblings did the bare minimum they needed to graduate, then they left, too. By the time I was ten, it was just me and my grandfather, but no one is ever going to let me forget where I came from.”

“Remi, why have you kept this hidden from me for so long?” Sophie asked. “If I had known-”

“If you had known, you would have left. Everyone does.” Remiel picked up his soup and drank some of it. It was cold, but it filled his empty stomach, so he didn’t care.

“Nobody knows?” asked Zak.

Remiel sat the bowl down and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He bumped his lips with the heavy manacle around his wrist, and scowled at it. “Iscriel knows. Marut security does, too. I got caught shoplifting when I was eight. It was over something stupid. Honeybread or some jam biscuits, I think. The shopkeeper turned me over to security while they figured out who to contact. The officers got a hold of my record, including my lineage, and as soon as they saw I was descended from an Ander, well…” Remiel shrugged his wings, feeling numb. “As far as they’re concerned, I’m guilty, and I’m going to do something horrible. It’s only a matter of time.”

“That’s not fair,” said Sophie, her bottom lip quivering. “You’re not… You’re not bad, Remi. You’d never hurt anyone.”

“But I have,” he reminded her. “If Iscriel had reported me to security, rather than contacting Laeshiel directly, I wouldn’t be here now.”

“You were just a kid. Kids make mistakes. That’s why they do.”

“Yeah, well my mistakes almost got you both sent to Mahat today. Just by knowing me, you’re at risk. They’re going to keep searching for any excuse to haul me in, and now they’ll be watching you both as well. If anyone else finds out, your reputations-”

“I don’t care about my reputation,” said Zak. “I care about you. Did you really think something like this would change that?”

“But your job-”

“They can’t stop me from being a healer. I may not get to work in the big hospitals or serve Isten, but there will always be people who need my help,” declared Zak. “So what if your dad was an Ander? My father was a cartographer, but you’re never going to catch me a league up, sketching topography.”

Sophie nodded. “That’s right. You’re just you, Remi, no matter who you’re descended from.”

This was not the reaction he had expected. Remiel felt his eyes fill with tears. “But I can’t protect you from this.”

“I don’t need you to protect me,” Sophie said firmly. “In fact, if anyone needs protecting, it’s you.”

Zak nodded. “We’ll help you, Rem. We’ll keep you out of trouble.”

“As long as you always, _always_ tell us the truth,” Sophie added with a stern look. “No more secrets.” 

Remiel looked between them. They seemed sincere. It was hard to speak, but he swallowed a couple times and said, “I can’t ask this of you.”

“You don’t have to ask,” said Sophie. “We’re in this together.”

“All three of us,” said Zak.

Sophie took Zak’s hand, then they both reached across the table to Remiel. Blinking back tears, he placed his hands in theirs. He could feel their love and acceptance, and he knew he didn’t deserve it, but he couldn’t turn away from them.

“I love you both so much,” he sniffled.

“We love you, too,” said Sophie. Both she and Zak squeezed his hands.

“Trust us.” Zak lifted Remiel’s hand to his lips, placing a couple soft kisses against his knuckles.

“I do,” Remiel promised. “More than anything.”

They held on to each other until the server came back out. They ordered more soup, and this time, Remiel ate it hot. They each ate several more servings and their conversation turned to lighthearted things.

Some of the tension remained in Remiel’s chest, but when Sophie said, “Let’s go home,” he knew she was right. Together, with Zak and Sophie, that was his home. Nothing would ever change that.

***

“I love you too much to lose you over your family,” said Zak as they walked through the streets toward his apartment. He had his arm draped over Remiel’s shoulder and placed light kisses against his jawbone. “Though, if you two ever meet my siblings, I could totally understand if you wanted to run.”

“Stop it Zak,” Sophie laughed. She hung from Remiel’s arm on the other side, their fingers linked together. “Your siblings can’t be that bad.”

Zak smiled, peering past Remiel to her. “Oh yeah they can. One of them decided to eat only raw plants, and he won’t shut up about how great it is. Another paints constellations on rocks and glues them to the ceiling in his room. Every time I’ve gone in there, one of them has fallen and hit me in the head. Then there’s Pia, who already has six kids of her own, and she’s training them to be artists. Every time they’re over, they scribble on everything. The table, the floor, the walls, _your leg_ , and Pia just goes, ‘Ah, it’s art,’ and lets them keep doing it. The worst part is, Dad agrees.”

Sophie grinned. “They sound amazing. I can’t wait to meet them.”

Smiling at Sophie, Zak said, “They’re going to love you.” He kissed Remiel’s cheek again. “Both of you. And it won’t matter who you are or where you came from, because I love you, and that’s all they’ll need to know.” 

They separated to climb the narrow wooden stairs to Zak’s apartment. Zak went first, but when he reached the top, he froze. 

“Where’s my door?”

Remiel squeezed around him. The apartment was open, the door gone. All that remained was a pile of ash on the threshold.

“Did the officers come back and do this?” asked Sophie, peering between their feathers.

“No…” Remiel’s felt like a weight had fallen on his chest. He stepped into the apartment. “Alex!” he called. “Alex?!”

The boy wasn’t there. There was no sign of how long ago he came, but Remiel knew Alex was upset. If he’d come into Marut on his own for dance, found his classmates and instructor missing or replaced…

“Alex!” Remiel cried in vain once more. He ran back to the door, touching Sophie’s arm. “He was here. He’s missing.”

“He probably went back to the academy,” she assured him, but she looked worried, too.

“We’ll search around here, see if anyone saw him,” said Zak. “You fly back to Archridge. Alex can’t have gone far.”

Remiel nodded. “I’m sorry, I should have-”

“Go,” Sophie insisted. “We’ll alert you if we find him.”

He kissed her quickly, then kissed Zak. Remiel jumped up onto the roof and took off, headed straight back to Archridge as fast as he could fly.

***

Remiel ran through the halls in the advanced curriculum dorms. Alex hadn’t been in bed. Uzzi and Isa hadn’t seen him since he left for dance that afternoon. Remiel hoped the boy had gone to his brother, as he used to when he was younger. If not… Remiel didn’t want to think about it.

Remiel turned a corner and a firm hand grabbed his arm. “You again?” an irritated voice asked. “You’re lucky it was me or you would have knocked somebody’s teeth out.”

Remiel blinked, taking a moment to place who had him. It was the Huntsman. The one who helped find Alex before. “Lorcasiel,” said Remiel, his voice fast and panicked. “Alex- I have to find Gabriel. Alex has to be with him.”

“Whoa, calm down,” said Lorcas. He released Remiel’s arm. “I just saw the Prince. His brother isn’t with him.”

“H-He’s not?” asked Remiel with dismay.

The Huntsman shook his head. “Haven’t seen him around at all lately. Why? What happened?”

“Alex is missing,” Remiel blurted. “I have to tell Iscriel. I-I have to tell Gabriel.”

“You lost the kid?” Lorcas tilted his head, staring directly into Remiel’s eyes.

“He came up to Marut, but I wasn’t there. Something- Something bad happened. I think he found out. He’s probably scared and hiding, but I don’t know where. If he ran away- I have to find him. Iscriel has to know, I-”

Lorcasiel squeezed Remiel’s shoulder comfortingly. “Relax, tutor. You don’t need to tell anyone.”

“But I-”

“I can find him.”

Remiel paused, looking up at the Huntsman. “You can?”

He smirked. “It’s my job, remember?” He lowered his hand from Remiel’s shoulder. “Iscriel doesn’t need to know. The kid is just scared. I’ll bring him back and no one needs to get in trouble.”

“But what if you can’t find him?” asked Remiel.

The Huntsman scoffed. “I am very good at what I do. I’ll find him. Besides, I think I already know where he went.”


	15. Alex: 2nd Degree of Tides, 596 DE

The air was cold and damp in the forest. It clung to Alex’s feathers, making him shiver. The trees overhead were so thick, he couldn’t see the stars, but he kept walking. Silence surrounded him, only broken by distance snaps of creatures moving through the underbrush. He felt calmer here than he had in months.

The panic that drove him from Marut had subsided. Alex scolded himself for being so emotional, yet he wasn’t ready to go back. He knew he would be in trouble for running off. He didn’t want to face his brother. Gabriel would be mad. Alex couldn’t stand the thought of Gabriel yelling at him again.

_What if you never go back?_

The voice came from Alex’s own thoughts, but it was so startling, he actually stopped. He couldn’t do that. Could he? 

No.

Of course not.

Where else would he go?

Alex resumed walking, but hunger gnawed at his belly. He broke off another pinch of the biscuit in his satchel and sucked on it. He hadn’t brought enough food along for being out all night, but maybe he could find some berries. If only he could see more than the shadowed outline of the forest around him.

Suddenly, a ring of sky opened overhead. Alex stopped at the edge of the trees, looking up in awe. The stars glittered above, shining down through the golden leaves of a single, large tree in the center of the clearing. The trunk of the tree was completely white, the bark stripped bare like Hadasha did when she sharpened her claws.

Alex stepped toward it, drawn in by the stillness of the clearing. There was a near perfect circle of sky around the white tree, like the rest of the forest was afraid to touch it.

A rock clattered to the ground. Alex turned. He discovered the tree grew before the entrance of a small cave. He approached cautiously. Wild beasts often settled in caves like that, but maybe it would be a good place to warm up.

“Hello?” Alex called, projecting an nonthreatening aura. He reached the darkness and peered in. “Can I come in?”

Listening quietly, Alex heard nothing. Maybe the cave was empty. He turned sideways to keep his wings from touching the stone edges and entered the narrow opening. Something snapped beneath his thin-soled boots. He paused. He knew the sound of breaking bone.

For a few moments, Alex didn’t move. He strained to listen, to see anything in the blackness before him. He thought he saw something glisten. He stared. There were two dots of white on the far wall, barely visible in the dim starlight coming through the cave entrance.

The dots blinked.

“Hello?” Alex said again. “I won’t hurt you.” He carefully pulled one of the threads from the bracelet around his wrist. He held it up by the black ends and broke the middle. Fire blazed in the cave, nearly too bright for Alex to see beyond, but the brief glimpse was enough. 

Bones littered the cave entrance. The stone path twisted deeper, allowing an escape for the creature that skittered across the wall. 

But Alex had seen it. 

It wasn’t a beast. It was small, no taller than Alex’s hip. It had closed its milky white eyes at the blaze of fire before escaping across the wall and ceiling, clinging with sharp claws to the stone.

The fire burned out. 

Alex stepped further into the cave, taking care not to break any more bones. “I didn’t mean to scare you,” he called. He reached the corner and turned, heading deeper into the cave. His hand remained on the cold wall, guiding him along. He couldn’t hear the creature anymore. “Hello?”

“What-t-t are you?”

The chittering words came from above Alex. He looked up, and was able to see the glisten of those white eyes again, the creature hanging down from the stone directly above him. Rancid breath that feasted on flesh touched Alex’s skin, and he recoiled.

“I mean you no harm,” Alex said, backing up. 

“But harmmm me you will if I t-t-touch you. Curiousss.”

Skittering sounds along the ceiling and wall led further into the cave. For a second, Alex thought about leaving. But the creature hadn’t tried to hurt him. And it could talk. Alex pulled his wings in tight against his back, and walked further into the darkness.

“Like the other, it-t-t calmssss you t-to see me,” the clattering voice said. “Light-t-t a flame in the stone.”

Alex removed another thread from his bracelet. He snapped it, the light revealing a large room. There were holes all over the walls and a huge skull on the ground. Just as the fire flared out, Alex noticed a ring of stone in the middle of the room.

In the dark, Alex moved closer and knelt down so he could feel the stone circle. Dry grass and logs were piled in the center. Some of the logs felt powdery, like they’d been burned before. Alex plucked another thread from his bracelet and snapped it. The flame fell into the ring, igniting the dry grass. 

The blaze caught and spread to the wood. The warmth was nice. Alex crossed his legs and sat, looking up at the creature who hung from the ceiling on the other side of the room. 

It was hairless, with clawed feet that clung to the rock above them. Its head was split in half by a maw of sharp teeth. Clouded eyes stared out blankly, but Alex knew it was watching him.

“Does the fire bother you?” Alex asked.

“He comesss. It-t-t will be lit-t.” The chittering sound it made when it spoke came from its sharp teeth clacking together. It seemed like the teeth were designed to snap shut and interlock, so it was difficult for the creature to open its mouth to speak.

“Do you have a name?”

“I will,” the creature answered shortly.

Alex frowned. All the usual emotional cues Remiel taught him to look for were missing from this creature. He couldn’t read its lipless mouth or round, clouded eyes. Angry? Sad? Scared? He wasn’t sure, but he could tell it was being cautious around him. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Many t-timesss you do.”

“I don’t want to hurt anybody,” Alex insisted.

“You will.” The creature moved forward, then flickered from sight for a moment before it reappeared back where it had started and began moving forward again. It did that twice before it finally stood closer to Alex.

“What are you?” the black-haired boy asked.

“I wasss of Zvikwambo. Now I claimmm the forest-t-t.”

“A zvikwambo?” Uzzi had mentioned them before, but Alex hadn’t really listened. “You’re a fiend?”

“Your t-tongue speaksss in mud,” the creature scolded. That was definitely disapproval.

“Sorry,” Alex replied contritely. Fiends must not like being called fiends. Tevrans had always referred to them as the Jinn. Alex opened his satchel and pulled out the little bit of biscuit he had remaining. “Do you want some food? It’s not a lot, but I’ll share.”

There was a pause, as the zvikwambo’s body flickered back and forth, sometimes reaching for the food, sometimes snarling silently. It stilled again, then dropped to the ground, landing beside Alex and the fire. It’s body was shriveled and frail, appearing barely able to support its massive claws and teeth. 

“You will fear me if I feast-t-t,” it said. “I do not-t eat-t-t from the dirt-t-t.”

“This?” Alex held up the half biscuit he had remaining. “It’s not dirty.” 

“From the dirt-t-t,” the zvikwambo repeated firmly.

“It’s ground wheat, walnuts, and dried figs. Bread.” The fiend clacked its teeth together repeatedly, an unnerving sound Alex took as a definite refusal. “So what do you eat?” he asked.

“Life,” it replied. “Pure light from within.” The flickering images of the zvik moved toward Alex. Some of them pointed to Alex’s chest, a few climbed back up the wall. One image lunged forward, its maw open.

Alex flinched back, but the images disappeared, and the zvik remained standing where it was. “What was that?” the black-haired boy asked, his heart beating fast. “Were you going to eat me?”

“I see what will be.” It crossed its legs and sat down, placing its clawed feet on top of its knees. “I know trouble comes to me today, but you are more than I see.”

“So you’re not going to eat me?” Alex asked, just to clarify.

“I want-t-t to.” The zvik’s mouth opened slightly, and its purple tongue traced over its teeth. “Your blood smellsss deliciousss. Like home.” It breathed in through its mouth, enjoying Alex’s scent. Then it sighed, and its clattering jaw closed. “But-t your energy isss corrupt-t’d.”

“Corrupted?”

“Reversss’d. _Poison_. You will kill me if I feast-t-t from you.”

“I don’t want to hurt anyone,” Alex said, his black eyes swirling with reflections of the firelight. 

“Many pathsss will lead you to a day when you will chose between you-” The zvik sharply looked toward the cave entrance, “- _or them_.”

Alex glanced behind him, almost expecting to see someone there, but the stone hall was dark and empty. He turned back around, only to discover the zvik was gone.

Alex looked up, and he saw a flicker of the zvik disappear into one of the hollows at the top of the cave. With the firelight, Alex’s eyes couldn’t adjust enough to see into the shadows, but he felt the zvik watching him.

“Hello?” he called, climbing to his feet and moving closer to the walls. “I won’t hurt you.”

“Who are you talking to?” came a deep voice from behind Alex. This time, when he spun around, there was someone in the dark hall. A Terran emerged, his grey eyes focused on Alex.

“Nobody,” the boy said quickly. “I-I thought I was alone.”

“Uh huh,” said Lorcasiel, the Huntsman who was friends with Gabriel. “Your brother lies better than you.” 

Alex pulled his trembling wings against his back. “Am I in trouble?” he asked in a small voice.

Lorcas causally walked toward the fire. “This is a very dangerous place,” he said, passing around the blaze. “I warned you about being in the forest at night, and now…” His hand touched the hilt of the sword at his side. “Well, it’s unfortunate you came here.”

Alex took a step back. There was something cold and determined about the way Lorcas watched him from across the fire. 

Something dangerous.

For a moment, Alex was afraid.

Then, there a chittering noise from the hollow above Alex. Lorcas’ eyes turned up, that same cold determination focused on the place the zvik hid. His grip tightened on his blade.

“Wait,” Alex whispered, with the sudden realization of what was going to happen. His protest came too late. 

Flickering in and out of sight, the zvik shot from the hollow and skittered across the stone toward Lorcas. Branches of its images spread from its form as it moved, but its path didn’t diverge. Its teeth snapped and it hissed as it approached the Huntsman. Lorcas drew his blade, and the fiend lunged.

“No!” Alex cried out.

Lorcas swung, but the blade passed harmlessly through the zvik’s flickering body. The fiend’s clawed feet hit Lorcas’ chest. It slashed, knocking the sword from his hand. The metal clattered to the cave floor, leaving Lorcas defenseless, but the zvik, rather than continue to slash at the Terran with his claws, sprang after the blade. 

It grabbed the sword, hefting the hilt over its shoulder as it dragged it across the floor. Upright, on the ground, it waddled as it walked, but it moved fast. It walked into the fire, flickering and unharmed by the flames, then dropped the sword in the blaze.

“Damn it, fiend!” Lorcas stomped forward. “How many times have I told you not to do that?”

“You will not-t hurt-t-t the child,” it hissed, standing in the fire, positioned between Alex and Lorcas. 

Lorcas stopped. He glared at the fiend. “I wouldn’t-”

With a clatter of teeth, the fiend said, “I know, and you do, t-t-too.” 

“I’m not here to hurt him,” Lorcas insisted. “I’m here to take him back to the academy before anyone finds out he’s gone. Why are you trying to protect him, anyway, _fiend_?”

“His blood is not-t-t for you.”

“W-What’s going on?” Alex asked, taking a step back. “You know each other?”

“Sort of,” said Lorcas, still glaring at the fiend. “Though he’s supposed to be a secret.”

“Only the dead speak no secretsss,” said the zvik. It stepped from the fire and shook, like a beast shaking water from its fur.

“I’m not killing anyone today, and neither are you. Besides, Alex won’t tattle, will you, Alex?”

The black-haired boy shook his head rapidly. “No.” There wasn’t another answer to that question, at least not one that wouldn’t get someone hurt.

“See?” Lorcas walked forward and kicked his sword out of the fire. The hilt was too hot to touch, so he left it on the stone to cool. He stared down at it with his hands on his hips and with wings spread. “Damn it, you blackened the metal again. You know how hard this is to clean?”

“See a better path,” said the zvik, running its claws over its bald head like it was grooming itself.

“‘See a better path,’” Lorcas mocked, curling his lip back in a snarl. “You want a meal tonight or not?”

“Feast-t-t,” the zvik said, turning to face Lorcas eagerly. 

The Huntsman sat on the ground by the fire. He held his arm out to his side, bare wrist upturned, and the zvik ran over to him. To Alex’s shock, Lorcas did nothing as the zvik sunk its teeth into his wrist. There was a crackle of electricity at Lorcas’ fingertips, and the zvik’s white eyes receded into its head, closing contentedly.

“Y-You let it eat from you?” Alex asked, staying back against the wall.

With a tight smile, Lorcas said, “It’s okay, Alex. He’s not going to hurt you. I’m here now. You can come closer.” Alex shook his head quickly. The Huntsman sighed. “A zvik needs pure energy to live. He gets some from the beasts in the forest, but I still come by and feed him every other month.” 

“Why?” Alex asked. He watched the way the zvik fed, its fanged jaw vibrating as blood stained its teeth. It looked happy, reminding Alex of a cub falling asleep while while nursing.

“We made a deal a long time ago, back when I was a skinny kid like you with no common sense and a debt to pay.” Lorcas spread his wings more and leaned back, using his other arm to support himself. He didn’t disturb the fiend while he adjusted. “I rescued him from the Hunt, and now, I keep him fed and safe from people who want to hurt him.”

“B-But… why?” Alex asked, the question feeling strange. He didn’t want anyone to get hurt, but Lorcas was the Captain of the Hunt. Hurting things was what the Hunt did.

Lorcas tilted his head, watching Alex. “You mean why didn’t I let the Hunt kill him?” Alex nodded. “It wasn’t an official match. There was no win. This zvik was smuggled into Archridge by the old Captain. Plior was cruel and dumb. He thought training with a real fiend would help Archridge win, but he was really just a bad leader. I was a rookie then, and it was my job to take care of the fiend between our practice Hunts. That’s when I discovered he could talk.”

“So you freed him?” Alex took a few cautious steps toward the fire.

“Hardly. It was just a fiend. What did I care if it died? Ow! Hey, I used past tense. If you scrape bone again, you’re done.” They settled, and Lorcas continued. “The thing they don’t tell you during a Hunt is that the beasts and fiends they send in have been starved and drugged. They’re often taken as infants and raised to be used in the games.”

“That’s awful,” gasped Alex.

Lorcas nodded sympathetically. “It is. And all for the amusement of Isten who see us as nothing more than possessions.”

“Us?”

“Terran. Homm.” Lorcas winked at Alex. “Not you, kid. Ahnnak like you will grow up to be just like them.”

Alex bit his lip. He didn’t want to be just like them. He didn’t even think he was a real Ahnnak, but as far as secrets went… That wasn’t something he could say. He moved closer and sat in the warmth of the fire where he could still see Lorcas and the zvik. “What did you do?” he asked.

“With the fiend? Listened, mostly. I cared for the zvik for weeks and tended his wounds after both of Plior’s mock Hunts. I gave him fat little lapon everyday, overloaded with energy, and had to watch him rip them apart to feed before the dull nourishment dispersed.”

Alex wrinkled his nose in disgust. Lorcas nodded in agreement. “It was the only way I could feed him. He’d been starved and drugged after the Hunt caught him for a game. Plior purchased him from a handler, but he didn’t get any of the drugs to keep the fiend sedated, and it wasn’t long before the zvik started going through withdrawals.” 

Lorcas looked at the zvik. “It was difficult to watch a creature be in that much pain, even a fiend. He spoke to me, babbling nonsense most the time, barely able to hold himself together. And… well, the thing with zvik is that they exist outside our understanding of time. They can see thousands of potential futures, and he spoke to me of victory. If only… If only I helped him. So I fed him, from my arm, like this.”

“They see the future?” asked Alex.

“They see paths. It takes tremendous energy, seeing thousands of outcomes, so they don’t look far ahead. But everything within an hour comes to them like breathing.” The sparks of electricity at Lorcas’ fingers faded out. “Alright, that’s enough for now.” He pulled his arm away and the zvik reluctantly opened its mouth. Its shriveled body had grown plump. It licked its bloody teeth, satiated.

Without any animosity in its voice, the fiend said, “I see a path where I rip your throat out and suck you dry.”

“Try it, fiend. I’ve killed dozens of your kind in Hunts.”

The zvik hissed. “Milk-sop impsss. They are weaned with poppiesss and sent-t-t to fight before their sight-t-t works. You would die against-t-t the true might of zvikwambo among the Jinn.” 

“If you were so mighty, you wouldn’t have been caught.” 

The zvik hissed at him again, and then crawled up the wall into one of the dark hollows. The chattering sounds it made as it settled echoed through the cave.

Lorcas pulled a clean roll of fabric from the pouch at his hip and unrolled it across his lap. He found one end and began wrapping the bleeding arm he had offered to the zvik. 

“Can I help?” Alex asked. He got up and walked closer, standing before the Huntsman.

Gazing up at him, Lorcas said, “Sure, kid. You ever do this before?” 

Alex nodded. He took the bandage and began wrapping Lorcas’s arm. “So what happened?” he asked softly. “After you fed it?”

Lorcas watched Alex’s face while he spoke. “There was another mock Hunt. The Captain was cocky and stupid, and he got what he deserved.”

“His liver was d-d-deliciousss,” came the fiend’s voice from above. 

“He ate someone?” asked Alex.

Lorcas shrugged. “If Plior hadn’t been such an incompetent fool, he would have survived. But he was cruel, and the zvik deserved to have his revenge.” 

Alex wasn’t sure how he felt about that. It still seemed wrong, but he didn’t respond. He focused on tying the bandage around the Huntsman’s arm. 

After a few moments, Lorcas said, “I helped everyone else escape. Some of them were hurt in the battle, but no one else died. The zvik hid here, and I made sure no one else found him.”

“Why doesn’t he go home?” asked Alex.

“It’s too dangerous. The borders of E’din are protected. They would kill him, or worse, return him to the Hunt.”

Alex finished securing the bandage, and started to step back, but Lorcas grabbed his arm. Their eyes met. “Does it scare you, having him near?”

The Huntsman’s grip was tight. His touch made Alex’s skin crawl. “You scare me more,” he said.

“Me?” His grip didn’t loosen. “You’re more afraid of me than a fiend who killed a boy?”

“You’ve killed, too,” said Alex. 

“Beasts and fiends. Never a person.” 

“They’re the same.”

The corner of Lorcas’ mouth twitched. “They’re really not.” He licked his lips before he asked, “Who hurt you, Alex?”

“No one,” the black-haired boy whispered. He took a step back, but Lorcas didn’t let him go.

“Was it someone at the academy?” Alex shook his head rapidly, trying to pull away. “Was it someone at home?”

“Please let me go,” the boy begged.

“Your brother drives himself mad worrying about you. I have to wonder…” Lorcas pulled Alex closer. “Is it because you smell so sweet?”

A bolt of lightning shot across the room, hitting Lorcasiel’s hand where it held Alex. They both reeled back in pain, separating from one another. 

“His blood is not for you,” came the zvik’s dark words from the hollow in the cave above. Its hand was outstretched, fingers crackling with remnants of the electrical charge it released.

Lorcas glared up at it, rubbing his hand. “I wasn’t going to hurt him. Fiends, when did you get so sentimental? That was stupid to waste that much energy. Don’t come crying to me when you’re hungry in a week.” 

The fiend chittered derisively at him, then tucked itself back into the hollow. Lorcas faced Alex, who stood guarded nearby, holding his arm where the bolt hit. It didn’t hurt, but he tried to focus on the feeling to divert his attention from the panic rising in his chest. 

“You know I would never hurt you, right?” Lorcas asked. 

Alex nodded quickly, and took another small step back. 

“I’m your brother’s friend. Most the time.”

“I know,” Alex whispered. He stepped back again. 

Lorcas watched him quietly for a moment, and for a brief second, Alex thought he saw a flickering haze of white over the Huntsman’s grey eyes.

“I can help you,” Lorcas said. “Let me show you what the zvik taught me, why I still protect it, after all these years.” He held out his hand. “I won’t hurt you. I promise.” 

Alex glanced toward the hollow. He could see the milky reflections of the zvik’s eyes watching him. He was curious, and for that reason alone, he went to the Huntsman. 

Lorcas pulled Alex to him and sat him on his lap. Before the boy could complain or struggle, Lorcas reached past him, holding his hands straight out before Alex. The images of his hands flickered, some of them waving, some of them making a sign for peace, three of them clapping in rapid succession, but Lorcas’ real hands didn’t move.

The images disappeared, and Alex could only blink, shocked. “You’re a zvik,” he said. 

The Huntsman laughed, shaking Alex with his mirth. He leaned around him, looking at his face as the black-haired boy remained seated in his lap. “Not a zvik, no. But he taught me, in exchange for helping him. I’m not as powerful, but I can see a few minutes ahead. Up to twenty, if I really concentrate. It’s helped me be a better leader in the Hunt. It helps me keep my team safe.”

“Isn’t it cheating?” asked Alex.

“The world cheats,” said Lorcas. “We do what we have to to survive. You know… I could teach you.”

Alex leaned his head back against the Huntsman’s chest, looking up at him with wide eyes. “Really?” 

“Sure.” Lorcas smiled. “Here, touch my wrists. I’m going to do it again.” He held his arms out the same way, and Alex placed his small hands over the Huntsman’s wrists. One hand touched the bandage he had wrapped there, but the other touched Lorcas’ bare skin. The Huntsman was warm. Not as warm as Uzzi, but when the energy flowed through him, it didn’t matter. 

The multiple images of Lorcas’ hands appeared again, and Alex felt the energy crawl over him. It was different than anything he had felt before, skittering over his skin like cold fire. Alex could feel the patterns in the energy, and he held his breath, trying to fight the urge within him to let his own energy attempt that shape. 

Alex lifted his hands from Lorcasiel’s arms, and the Huntsman stopped. “Did you feel that?” the older boy asked. “Did you feel the way I open myself up, allowing the possibilities to appear?”

Alex nodded. He did. It made sense. It didn’t even seem hard.

“Do you want to try?” Lorcas asked. “I’ll guide you.” 

“Yes, Lorcasiel,” said Alex, holding his hands out.

“Just call me Lorcas, kid.” He held his hands out with Alex’s, and the black-haired boy mimicked the pattern of energy he had felt the Huntsman use.

Only… 

Nothing happened. 

A black haze appeared at the edges of his fingers, like shadows from the firelight. Alex stopped, frowning at his hands.

“I can’t do it,” he said, frustrated.

“Don’t give up,” said the Huntsman. “I couldn’t do it right away either. It takes a lot of practice.”

“You can’t t-t-teach him,” said the zvikwambo with a chattering of unmistakable laughter. 

“Don’t listen to him,” said Lorcas, glaring up at the fiend. “Try again.”

“I can’t,” said Alex. He lowered his hands to his knees. “I can’t use any energy right.” 

“You started that fire, didn’t you? It’s just like that.”

Alex shook his head. “I didn’t.” He sighed. “I cheated.”

“How?” asked Lorcas.

“This.” Alex held up his arm with the firecord bracelet. 

Lorcas examined it closely. “Show me.” 

Alex pulled a thread from his bracelet and held it up by the black ends. He snapped it in half and let the fire burn all the way down to his fingertips before he shook the flame out.

“You made that?” Lorcas asked, sounding astonished.

Alex shook his head. “No. I didn’t.”

“Then who?”

“I can’t say.” He looked back at the Huntsman. “It’s a secret.”

Lips pursed, Lorcas appeared thoughtful. “Yes, and it’s important to keep secrets, isn’t it, Alex? Just like I know you’ll keep my secret, about the zvik?” Alex nodded, but Lorcas added, “They’ll kill him if you don’t. Probably me, too.”

“I promise I won’t tell,” said Alex. He wouldn’t even tell Uzzi. His best friend was fascinated with fiends, and wanted to learn everything about them, but it wasn’t because he liked them. He wanted to learn how to destroy them.

“Good. Now, let’s try again. I’m sure you can get it to work this time.” 

Knowing it wouldn’t, Alex tried anyway. He focused until his head hurt. He lowered his hands in frustration, watching the shadowy haze of his fingers follow. 

“It’s okay,” said Lorcas. “We’ll keep practicing.” 

“Reversssed,” the fiend hissed. “You can’t t-t-teach him. He’s broken.”

Lorcas glared up at the hollow. “If you aren’t going to help, shut up.”

“He’s right,” said Alex. “I am broken. Every time I try to use energy, I mess it up.”

“Energy doesn’t work the same for everyone,” Lorcas reassured him. “You’ll get it.”

The fiend peeked out of the hole. “You don’t underst-t-tand,” the zvik chittered. “His blood fuels generations. We will be ssstronger with him.”

“What are you talking about?” Lorcas asked, sounding annoyed with the fiend.

The zvik came back out of the hollow, crawling across the wall with his round belly squished flat against the stone. It came down close to them, then waddled over on its short, bowed legs. “I will teach him.”

“You?” Lorcas scoffed.

“I taught you, wing’d brat-t-t,” the fiend reminded him. Its white eyes focused on Alex. “It will take t-t-time. We will practice when the shadowsss are deepest-t-t.”

“No, Alex isn’t coming back to the forest. Especially on nights without a moon,” said the Huntsman.

Alex looked at the zvik, then up at the Huntsman in whose lap he still sat. “Please?” he asked, with a soft pout and big black eyes.

When Lorcas looked at him, his brow furrowed. He cursed softly under his breath. “What is it with you two and that pout? Fiends, _fine._ You can come back. But we need to head back to the academy now. It’s nearly dawn.”

“Okay,” Alex said. He stood up, and Lorcas stood too. The zvik kept watching Alex, even as the Huntsman guided him toward the cave exit. 

“I’ll show you how to come here safely,” said Lorcas. “I don’t want you wandering the forest alone. There’s more danger here than just the fiend, understand, Alex?”

“Yes, Lorcas.” Alex looked back at the fiend when they reached the dark hall. “Bye, Bo,” he said.

“See you sssoon,” the fiend hissed, then skittered back up the wall and disappeared into a another hollow.

“‘Bo’?” asked the Huntsman, looking down at Alex.

“I decided that was his name,” said the black-haired boy, meeting the older boy’s gaze.

Lorcas huffed. “A name. You really are strange, kid.” He took his hand, and they left the forest together, just as dawn touched the horizon.


	16. Remiel: 8th Degree of Tides, 596 DE

The days that followed were chaos. Over four dozen Jinn sympathizers were arrested in the raid. Generations of Terran were relocated or sent to Mahat for judgment. Everyone at Archridge knew someone whose family had been a part of the group, as evidenced by the empty seats in nearly every class. Students and teachers alike were in shock, struggling to make sense of how anyone could betray E’din or the Isten who protected them.

It was difficult to understand, but it was even harder for Remiel to explain to Alex, whose friend Nenghi would no longer be returning to Archridge. Her family had been among the first arrested, as they’d been deeply involved in the group for decades.

The boy was despondent. And even though the dance class was incorporated as an official, Isten-approved academy activity, Alex didn’t want to go back. Remiel didn’t blame him. 

Still, Remiel was afraid to leave Alex alone. He walked the young boy to his classes every day and picked him up after. With Lorcas’ help, they had been able to avoid getting in trouble with the academy and Gabriel after Alex ran away, but Remiel couldn’t risk letting it happen again. They’d been lucky. The Huntsman found Alex before he entered the forest. That night could have ended much, much worse.

Of course, spending more time with Alex meant needing to make up missed work in the textile specialization. Remiel got permission from the instructors to work in the classroom at night, after Alex was in bed, though caring for his young charge wasn’t the only reason Remiel made up his classwork so late.

The manacle locked around Remiel’s wrist was heavy, never letting him forget that it was there. He hated it, but he knew it was better than the alternative. He walked by empty seats in class, and he knew how easily he could have been one of them. 

That didn’t change that he was still bound, prevented from accessing his energy. He had tried everything he could think of to get the thing off, but it remained in place. Remiel wrapped it with a scarf, trying to make it look like some garish accessory he chose to wear, and did what he could to avoid drawing attention to himself in class. At night, he finished his work by hand, performing the tedious weaving and stitches that he could have done in a snap, if not for that fiend-taken manacle. 

He wasn’t sleeping. He was stressed out, and the few times he actually could go see Zak and Sophie, he couldn’t do more than pass out on Zak’s bed while either his boyfriend or girlfriend watched over Alex in the other room. 

Everything was exhausting, and that was why, when Alex broke down and had a tantrum the following weekend, Remiel suggested the one thing he had promised himself he wouldn’t do again.

“Let’s go see your brother,” he said. 

Alex quieted, sniffling. His little fists remained balled at his sides, crackling with black energy. “He doesn’t want to see me.”

“Of course he does. Let’s go find him.” Remiel gave Alex a tired smile and led him to the door. He was careful not to touch the volatile child. 

Alex’s energy receded enough that he could walk through the halls without drawing attention to himself. They took the stairs up to the advanced curriculum dorms, and by the time they arrived, Alex looked less upset and more nervous. 

When Remiel knocked, using the short code to alert Gabriel that it was them, all he could think was, _Please be here._ He wasn’t sure what else he could do to keep Alex calm.

For far too long, the door remained shut. When it opened, icy blue eyes glared out. Remiel sighed with relief.

“Hi, Gabriel,” he said. “Sorry to bother you. Alex really needs to see you.”

The silver-haired boy opened the door, allowing them to enter. He wasn’t alone, but it wasn’t a girl with him. It was Barach. The big Ahnnak lounged across the chair in the corner with a book. Gabriel appeared to have been studying at his desk. 

“What’s going on?” Gabriel asked. His voice was deeper than Remiel remembered, but it had been months since he last spoke with the silver-haired Ahnnak. 

“Alex is upset. Some of his friends were taken out of the academy after the raid,” explained Remiel.

Gabriel crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at his little brother. “So? If they were Jinn sympathizers, it’s good they’re gone.”

“It’s not fair,” the little boy said, looking up at his brother. “Froggy is my friend.”

“They were all traitors,” Gabriel said firmly. He faced Remiel. “Which you should have known.”

“How could I have known that?” Remiel asked, annoyed with Gabriel already. Maybe coming over had been a mistake. 

“If you had requested an investigation before placing Alex in an unauthorized Terran activity, they would have found out. Except you didn’t ask anyone, did you, tutor?” Gabriel’s lip twitched back in a sneer. “You put Alex in dance, and you didn’t bother telling anyone. Did you think I wouldn’t find out?”

_Shit_. 

“I meant to tell you-”

“Shut up. I don’t want to hear your excuses,” snapped Gabriel. “You put him in danger.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” said Remiel.

“It took me two days to figure out something was wrong with that group. How can you be so stupid? Or did you do it on purpose?”

“Please don’t fight,” Alex begged, tugging on Gabriel’s shirt. Tears dripped down his cheeks. 

Gabriel glared at Remiel as he pulled Alex to him in a hug. His voice softened when he spoke to his brother. “It’s okay. I’m here.” 

Alex sniffled and pressed his face against Gabriel’s chest. His tears stained the blue silk of the tunic. “I miss my friends…”

“I’m sorry, Alex, I know it’s hard. Sometimes people we care about aren’t who we think they are.” Gabriel gently stroked Alex’s long black hair. “Not all your friends are gone, right? Just the ones who would have used you. Who would have hurt you.”

“Froggy never hurt me.” Alex looked up at his brother. “She was nice.” 

“She tricked you. You’re safer without her around.” Gabriel tucked Alex’s black hair behind his ears. “Trust me. I did what’s best for you.”

Alex blinked a couple times, looking up at his brother. “What?” He took a step back. 

Gabriel let Alex’s black hair slip through his fingers as the boy moved away. He smiled at his little brother, but there was something strange in the twist of his lips. “I’ll always protect you, Alex. Even when you lie to me.”

“Did you know this was going to happen?” Alex asked. “Did you do something, Brother?”

Gabriel’s eye twitched. His smile faltered. “Alex,” he said very calmly, “I’ve asked you not to call me that.”

With a stubborn set to his jaw and tears in his eyes, Alex asked, “Why? Everyone here knows. Do you hate me that much, _Brother_?”

The sharp slap of skin against skin made Remiel flinch. Alex stood before Gabriel, his head tilted to the side, black strands of hair unable to hide the red hand print on his cheek. 

Gabriel lowered the hand he had used to strike Alex. His fingers curled into a fist at his side and his wings shook with barely controlled anger. “I am trying to keep you safe!” he yelled. “Yet you insist on degrading yourself in the city with Terran trash! The way you displayed yourself-” Gabriel bared his teeth in a snarl. “You are _mine_ , Alex. Mine to protect. What do you think would have happened if Jequn- if _our father_ had seen you acting like that?”

Alex’s black eyes turned up toward his brother. His lower lip trembled as he struggled not to cry. 

“This isn’t some game,” Gabriel snapped. “Do you want to go back to him?! Is that what you want?”

“N-No,” Alex whimpered, the tears spilling down his cheeks.

“If I hadn’t forged the investigation request for your stupid little class, he would have found out, and the second he saw what you were doing-” Gabriel shook his head angrily. “You are not allowed to participate in activities outside Archridge. In fact, I don’t even want you leaving this academy again, do you understand me?”

“Y-Yes,” the boy cried.

Gabriel rolled his shoulders, trying to relax his wings. He lowered his voice a little, but he still spoke harshly to the trembling boy before him. “I will do whatever I have to to keep you safe, even if that means protecting you from your own stupid decisions.”

“I’m sorry,” Alex murmured. “I’ll try to be good.”

“I know.” Gabriel gave a heavy sigh and pulled Alex to him, even as the little boy flinched at his initial touch. “Come here. You are the only thing that matters to me, and I will not lose you. Not to anyone.” Gabriel held Alex tight while the boy sniffled and cried.

Remiel hated this. It was definitely a mistake to bring Alex here. He wanted to get him away from his older brother, but he knew it was pointless to try. Remiel couldn’t stand up to Gabriel on a good day, let alone when all his energy was cut off. Remiel glanced at Barach, wondering if he would say anything, but the Ahnnak just watched the two brothers with an indifferent expression. He was always difficult to read, but he didn’t seem concerned with Gabriel’s behavior at all.

Gabriel stroked Alex’s hair from his face and tilted his chin up toward him. “I’m sorry I hit you,” he said. “You just make me so mad sometimes. Will you forgive me?”

“Yes, Brother,” Alex said, then quickly fixed his mistake. “Yes, Gabriel.” 

Gabriel wiped away Alex’s tears with his thumbs. “That’s a good boy. Do you want to stay with me for a little while? I’ve got to study, but Remiel can go down to the dining hall and get lunch for us. We can eat together.”

Alex nodded, pressing his cheek again his brother’s chest. “I want to stay,” he said.

That hurt Remiel to hear, because he knew it was the truth. No matter how mean Gabriel was to him, Alex really just wanted to be at his brother’s side. Remiel really wished he hadn’t offered to bring Alex over today, even if the boy was under control now.

“Remiel?” Gabriel looked back over his shoulder.

“Yes?” Remiel straighted. 

“Go prove you can still be useful. Bring back lunch for us.”

“I’m not a servant,” he replied. 

“You’re not going to be anything unless you do what I tell you,” Gabriel snapped back.

Remiel thought of several snarky comebacks, all of which would get his ass kicked. Wisely, he only said, “Yes, Gabriel,” then left the room.

He may not be a servant, but being the son of an Ander didn’t make him much else, either. And Gabriel knew it.

***

Remiel borrowed a basket from the kitchen and loaded it up with a variety of foods to bring back to the room. He picked up a lot, because he knew Alex would be hungry. He thanked the kitchen staff and was carrying it out when a scribe appeared before him.

“Ahnnak Remiel?” the girl asked. 

“Yes?”

“Headmaster Iscriel requests your presence.”

Remiel held up the basket in his hand. “Can it wait?” 

“No,” she said firmly. “Leave it.” 

Remiel placed the basket on the end of the closest table. The scribe escorted him out of the dining hall, into the air, and up to the administration level where the Headmaster’s office was. She walked him all the way to the door, but Remiel entered alone.

“Ah, young Remiel,” said Iscriel, welcoming him into the room as he had always done before. Except this time, there was a tightness around his eyes, betraying his seriousness.

“Headmaster Iscriel.” Remiel bowed his greeting before taking the offered seat. 

“Remiel, you have served as my aide for several years.” Iscriel took his seat on the other side of the big desk, flipping his wings back as he sat. “I trusted you, even when some cautioned me not to.”

“Yes, Headmaster. And I’m grateful for everything you’ve done-”

Iscriel held up his hand. “Let me finish.” Remiel quieted, twisting the rings on his fingers nervously while he waited. “This academy serves the Isten in all things. For years, I’ve been told that the purity of the lineage of an Ahnnak is a testament to their nobility. But when it came to you, I was willing to overlook the blemishes on your record. I gave you a chance, because I had hope that you could be better.” The Headmaster folded his hands before him. “I was wrong,” he stated. “Remiel, I’m afraid I have to expel you.”

“What?!” Remiel sat forward. “Why?!” His mind raced. “Is it because of what happened in Marut? I swear I didn’t know! And I know I was arrested, but I’m not in trouble! They were just asking questions. The manacle is just- It’s just- I’ll make up all my elemental work in my classes! I swear I won’t miss anything, even if I have to go back and do it twice. My cousin is going to release me at the end of Harvest, and then I promise-”

The Headmaster held up his hand. “Remiel, as disappointed as I was to hear of your involvement in the horrible events at the start of summer, in pales in comparison to what you’ve been doing, been _selling_ , for months at the academy.”

Remiel’s wings sagged. He watched, stunned, as Iscriel pulled a box out from his desk. It was the one Remiel kept up in his closet, filled with his supplies for firecord.

Then, Iscriel pulled two bundles of the finished cord out and placed all the evidence in a line. It was more than Remiel kept stored in his room. There were at least three orders there, which Remiel had given to Chaidi and Tirq to sell.

“I never thought our investigation would lead us to you,” said Iscriel, looking as disappointed as he sounded. “We already have your two associates, your roommates from last year. They will be expelled as well. Your current roommates are under investigation, though they seemed genuinely unaware of your activities. Is there anyone else you involved with your illicit contraband?” 

“No,” Remiel said, barely able to breathe the word.

Iscriel regarded him sadly. “I fear it was my fondness of you that allowed this to go on for so long. At a time when all of E’din’s eyes are on us, I cannot be lenient.” He touched the thick bundle of firecord. “What you created is illegal. Homm do not have elemental powers for a reason, and if they can use this, without a doubt, the Jinn can too. You’ve created a weapon against E’din, and if knowledge of ability this gets out…” The Headmaster leaned back with a heavy sigh. “I have seen young Terran sent to Mahat for less. It is not a fate I wish on you, though it is something you seem desperate to pursue, like your father.”

“Headmaster, please, I can explain.”

“No need,” said Iscriel. “This decision is final. When you leave this office, you will be taken to your room to collect your things, and then immediately escorted from Archridge. You are banned from ever returning.” He stood. “Now, where is the Ahnnak I placed in your care?”

“With his brother,” Remiel whispered, unable to raise his eyes to meet the Headmaster’s gaze. He just kept staring at the bundles of firecord on the desk, shocked that any of this could be happening.

“Good. I will be speaking to them both as soon as I’m done here.” Iscriel walked around the desk and stopped beside Remiel. “Do you have somewhere to stay?”

Remiel slowly raised his eyes. “Stay?”

“Your grandfather was notified of the decision as soon as I made it. He…” Iscriel paused, his professionalism slipping for a split second. He straighted and continued. “He says you’re not to return there.”

“He’s disowning me…” Remiel muttered. He blinked back tears. He didn’t know why that hurt as much as it did. It wasn’t like anything would actually change, not really.

“Yes, well… Do you have somewhere else to go?”

It was difficult to think, but Remiel nodded. “I do.” 

“Good. Then that will be all, Ahnnak Remiel.”

Remiel rose to his feet, unsure what to say to the man who had watched over him for years, who had often acted more like a father than anyone else in Remiel’s life. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“I know, Remiel.” Iscriel reached out, almost like he wanted to hug him, but instead, he just patted his shoulder. “You’d better leave.” He walked him to the door, and when it opened, there were academy guards already waiting to take him away.

***

Remiel looked around his room, trying to find some piece of himself that he might have left behind, but there hadn’t been that much of him to begin with. Clothes mostly. Anything else, like the books on his shelf, belonged to the academy. He wouldn’t need them anymore.

“I’m done,” he quietly told the guard who had watched him pack. He handed the box he collected to the two outside the door, and they went through his things one more time. 

It was strange watching people search through his belongings like every fold of fabric could contain something dangerous. Remiel felt self-conscious, but he couldn’t do anything except wait for them to be done.

“Remi!” a high-pitched voice called from the other end of the hall. 

Remiel looked up, surprised to see Alex flying toward him. The boy’s wings propelled him like a bolt of lightning down the hall. The guards didn’t even have a chance to react before Alex collided with Remiel’s chest, hugging him tight.

“No, no, you can’t go!” the boy sobbed.

“It’s okay,” Remiel said, but he was speaking to the guards, who had tensed and drawn their weapons. He held his hands up, trying not to antagonize them. 

“Step away from the child,” the dark-haired guard on the left commanded. 

“I’m not going to hurt him,” Remiel replied, attempting to keep his voice calm. “He’s just scared. Let me talk to him.”

“Step away from the child!” the same one repeated, angrier. 

“Alex!” yelled Gabriel, running down the hall. Barach was close behind him. “I told you to stop!”

The blond guard on the right turned, blocking Gabriel with a raised sword. “Sir, I’m only going to ask you to stay back once.”

“How dare you threaten me,” Gabriel snapped. “Do you have any idea who I am?”

“It’s okay,” said Headmaster Iscriel as he jogged up. He was breathing hard. Remiel couldn’t remember if he had ever seen the older Terran run. “No one is in danger. Stand down.”

“The degenerate has a hostage,” the dark-haired guard said. 

“The child is not a hostage,” Iscriel replied. He stepped around Gabriel, moving beyond the blade that kept the silver-haired Ahnnak back. The guards let the Headmaster come closer, but Iscriel still approached carefully. “Alexiel, come here.”

“No!” the little boy wailed, clinging tighter to Remiel’s chest. “You can’t send him away.”

“Ahnnak Alexiel-”

“NO!” he screamed. The air crackled around Alex, growing heavy. Everything was spiraling out of control.

“Back off!” Remiel yelled at Iscriel and the guards. “Let me talk to him!” He looked to the Headmaster, his eyes pleading. “ _Please_.”

Iscriel regarded him for a moment, thoughtful. “Guards, stand down.” 

“But he-”

“That’s an order!” the Headmaster snapped. He motioned to Gabriel and Barach. “Keep them back.”

“Oh, the fuck you wi-” Gabriel’s words cut off as Barach placed a hand on his shoulder. The stoic Ahnnak shook his head slightly, and Gabriel quieted.

Everyone gave Remiel and Alex some space. It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough. Remiel took a few deep breaths, trying to appear calm, before he touched Alex’s shoulder. The little boy tensed, holding to him tighter. “Alex…?” Remiel said softly. “Alex, it’s going to be okay.”

“No,” the boy cried, hiding his face against Remiel’s chest. “You’re lying. You can’t leave me. You said you were my friend.”

“I’m still your friend, Alex. That won’t change.” He gently moved Alex back from him so he could kneel down and look the boy in the eye. 

Alex was reluctant to let go, but he stood before Remiel and sniffled. His cheeks were streaked with tears and his black eyes swirled with prismatic reflections of the light around them. “You can’t leave,” he said.

“I can’t stay here anymore.” Remiel cupped Alex’s cheek. The boy pressed his face against Remiel’s palm as big tears dripped from his eyes. 

“Why?” he whispered.

“Well, I…” He looked past Alex to where everyone stood watching them. “I did something wrong,” he said. “I knew I would get in trouble if I got caught, but I did it anyway.” He turned his green eyes back to Alex. “It’s my own fault, and that’s why I have to go.”

“But I need you,” the boy whimpered.

“You’ll be fine, Alex. You are strong enough to do this on your own.”

“I’m not,” he insisted. He held tight to Remiel’s wrist. “If you stay, I promise I’ll be good. I’ll never do anything bad ever again.”

“Alex…” Remiel gently touched their foreheads together. “A little trouble is okay sometimes. Remember? I want you to be happy.”

“I’ll only be happy if you stay.”

“You’ve still got Gabriel. You’ve got Uzzi and Isa and all your other friends.”

Alex shook his head. “I need you too.”

“I’m not leaving forever. In fact…” He dropped his voice to a low whisper. “Anytime you want to see me, find Sophie.” 

“Sophie?” Alex tilted his head. 

Remiel gave him a quick smile. “It’s a secret. Okay?” Alex nodded. Remiel noticed one of the guards getting antsy behind Alex. He needed to wrap this up quick. “I need to go now, Alex.”

“Please stay,” the little boy said, though some of the heavy energy that surrounded him had faded.

Remiel stood. “Everything is going to be okay.” The lie almost sounded plausible. He ruffled Alex’s black hair and tried to give him a cheerful smile. “Go to your brother now.”

Alex’s lip quivered, but he said, “Yes, Remi.” His grey-nailed fingers slowly released Remiel’s wrist and he backed toward Gabriel. 

Before the black-haired boy reached his brother, the guards moved. One of them grabbed Alex, yanking him away from Remiel, while the other lunged forward and slammed Remiel into the wall. 

Wincing, Remiel raised his hands. “I’m not resisting! I’m not resisting!” he repeated fanatically, feeling the point of the blade at the base of his wings. 

“Don’t injure him,” Iscriel exclaimed. The pressure of the metal lessened some, but Remiel was still afraid to breathe deep. 

“Let me go!” Alex yelled, squirming to escape the guard who had him. He kicked and lashed out, his heel catching the other guard in the chin before he was handed off to his brother.

Gabriel slung Alex unceremoniously over his shoulder. His fingers dug into Alex’s thigh, and the boy stopped resisting. “We’re going,” Gabriel told the Headmaster.

“We have more to discuss,” Iscriel replied, “but it can wait until you have time.”

Gabriel nodded his head to Iscriel, glared at Remiel, and then spun on his heel and walked away. Barach followed. Alex peered out from beneath Gabriel’s feathers, watching Remiel until they reached the end of the hall and disappeared from sight.

“Release him,” Iscriel commanded. The guard was hesitant, but since the others were gone, there was no reason to remain on edge. The point slipped away, and Remiel heard the blade being sheathed again. He was still scared to move, and didn’t lower his hands until Iscriel approached him. “Are you hurt?”

“No,” Remiel said, cautiously watching the guards.

Iscriel touched his arm, moving him a little further down the hall while he motioned for the guards to resume examining Remiel’s box of belongings. They were almost out of earshot when Iscriel stopped. “Remiel, seeing you with Alexiel…” He stumbled over his words. He licked his lips and tried again. “I always had hope for you, Ahnnak Remiel. I saw potential in you and I believed you were more than a stain on an otherwise noble lineage. I guess part of me still believes that.” He tried to smile, but it looked pained. “For that reason alone, my last act as your Headmaster is to destroy your disciplinary file, along with all evidence of what you’ve done.”

Remiel blinked in disbelief. “Headmaster?”

“You are still expelled, Ahnnak Remiel, but I will not report this infraction to Marut security,” said Iscriel. “Your lineage has been notified, as that is unavoidable, but I hope you recognize my last act for what it is- a chance at a fresh start. Don’t waste it. Don’t repeat your mistakes.”

“T-Thank you,” Remiel whispered. “I won’t.” 

Iscriel pulled him into a brief hug. It was awkward and a little startling, but Remiel appreciated it all the same. “You’re a good kid, Ahnnak Remiel. I believe you’re going to do amazing things.” He pulled back. “Just not at Archridge.” He smiled at Remiel, then walked with him back over to the guards and the box. 

“Clear,” said the blond guard, dropping the last of Remiel’s shirts back into the box. They hadn’t even bothered to refold them. 

“It’s time to go,” said the other guard. “Follow me.”

Remiel carried his disheveled box. He only looked back at the Headmaster once before he was escorted from Archridge Academy for the last time.


	17. Barachiel: 8th degree of Tides, 596 DE

They got Alex back to Gabriel’s room, but Barach could tell his silver-haired friend was barely clinging to the edges of his control. Gabriel dropped Alex on his bed and immediately growled, “Don’t you ever run away from me again.” 

Alex lay perfectly still, staring up at Gabriel with wide, terrified eyes. “I had to see Remi,” he whispered.

“Your precious Remi fucked up,” Gabriel snapped. “He’s not coming back.”

“I know,” Alex said, fresh tears coming to his eyes. 

_Damn_ , the boy looked absolutely adorable like that, all teary-eyed and sprawled across the bed. Alex’s white wings stretched beneath him and his black hair swirled across the blankets. The way his lip trembled and his chest rose with quick gasps gave Barach dozens of indecent thoughts, but he pushed them aside and tried to focus. He stepped up beside Gabriel. 

“Go easy on the kid, Gabriel. It’s been a hard day.” 

“Not hard enough. I should-”

Barach touched Gabriel’s arm. “Enough. You’re scaring him.”

Gabriel’s jaw snapped shut. His cold blue eyes remained focused on Alex as he struggled to gain control of his temper. 

Barach knew how difficult this was for his friend. He gently turned him away from the bed. “Listen, let me take care of Alex for a little while. You need to calm down.”

“I am calm,” Gabriel snarled. 

“Gabriel.”

The silver-haired boy bared his teeth and spun away without a word. He marched into the attached bathing room and slammed the door shut behind him.

Barach rolled his eyes. Gabriel had a tendency to be dramatic when he was upset. He’d be fine after a few minutes alone.

“He’s just worried about you,” Barach explained as he sat by the boy on the bed. “You don’t have any reason to be afraid of him.”

“I do,” Alex said in a soft voice. He sat up cautiously, like he thought Gabriel was going to come back through the door and yell at him for moving. 

“Give him time to calm down. You’ll see.”

Alex glanced toward Barach. “He’s scary when he’s calm, too.”

“He’s just got a lot on his mind.” 

Alex turned his eyes back toward the closed wooden door. He chewed his lip with a worried expression that made Barach want to pull him into his arms and comfort him. He wanted to protect Alex. The urge was difficult to ignore.

“Are you hungry?” Barach asked instead. 

The little boy nodded. “Very.”

“We did miss lunch. It’s nearly dinner now. How about you and I head down to the dining hall and pick up something to eat? We’ll bring it back here to share with Gabriel.”

Alex hesitated a few seconds, then shook his head.

“No?” Barach asked. “You don’t want food?”

“I don’t think Gabriel will let me leave.”

Barach huffed. “Let me handle him. You just wipe the tears off your face and put your shoes on. I don’t want you running through the halls barefoot again.”

“Yes, Barach,” the boy said quietly. He used the hem of his shirt to wipe his face, giving Barach a peek at the soft, pale skin of his belly as he did. 

Barach stood up and forced himself to focus. Now was not the time for distractions, no matter how cute they were, all trembling and helpless…

“Gabriel!” Barach pounded on the door. “I’m taking Alex down to the dining hall to get food!”

The door opened. The silver-haired Ahnnak glared out. Gabriel had washed his face and smelled like soap. Some of his hair clung to his wet skin. “You’re not taking him anywhere.”

“The kid has to eat. We all do.”

“Then get food and bring it back.”

Barach scowled at his stubborn friend. “He’s coming with me. Stop worrying. I’ll watch him.”

“And if he runs away from you?”

Barach looked back over his shoulder to where the black-haired boy was pulling on his shoes. “You wouldn’t run away from me, would you, Alex?” He asked it with a smile, though his tone held a hint of a warning.

Alex froze and looked up at them from the floor. “No, Barach,” he replied demurely. “I’ll be good.”

“See?” Barach turned back toward Gabriel. “No problems.”

“Barach-”

“He’ll be fine,” the older Ahnnak insisted. “Trust me.”

“I don’t trust anyone,” Gabriel muttered. He looked past Barach to Alex. “If you even think about disobeying Barach while you’re out, I’m going to beat your ass red. Got it?”

“Yes, Gabriel,” Alex said with a pout. 

Gabriel crossed his arms over his chest. “Fine. Don’t be gone long.”

“We won’t,” Barach promised, then he ushered Alex out the door before Gabriel had a chance to change his mind.

***

Academy staff had just started setting out the service for the first dinner when Barach and Alex arrived. Not many people were there yet, mostly groups of first and second year students following their matrons around in little flocks. They all looked so tiny. Barach felt like he would step on one if he didn’t pay attention.

Alex remained close by his side as they entered the kitchen. Barach grabbed one of the larger baskets to fill, then casually followed along as Alex picked out food.

“You really are hungry, aren’t you?” Barach remarked. 

Alex took six bundles of leaf wrapped rice from the display. “I’m sorry,” he said as he dropped them in the basket. “I can’t help it.”

“It’s okay. Get as much as you want. You may need it for a snack later since Gabriel will probably want you to stay the night.”

“Will you stay too?” the boy asked.

“For a while. Erem will be out of detention in a few hours, and I’ve got plans with him tonight. Why, did you want me to stay?”

Alex nodded solemnly. “I don’t want to be left alone.”

“You’ll have Gabriel.” Alex didn’t respond. He continued on, selecting food that could be taken back to the room. He passed the hot trays of sauced vegetables and loose rice, though his eyes lingered on them hungrily.

They reached a display of fruit and Barach said, “Get two of those apples. Yeah, those ones. They’re Gabriel’s favorite.”

“Apples?” 

“Just the golden ones.”

Alex selected two of the golden fruit and placed them in the basket. Then he hesitated for a moment before he grabbed another, adding it to the basket as well. Everything he added after, he was careful not to place on top of the apples. 

“You know, Alex,” Barach said as he followed the boy to the next station, “he’s not angry with you.”

“He’s always angry with me.”

“He’s just worried.”

Alex glanced back. “Worried?”

“That without Remiel around, something bad is going to happen to you.” 

“He hated Remiel,” he muttered while picked up a couple parchment wrapped bundles of nuts and seeds. 

“He trusted Remiel with you, so he couldn’t have hated him that much.” Barach smiled when the boy looked up at him. “I know how important you are to Gabriel.”

Alex got that pout the brothers used when something was bothering them. It was fucking adorable.

“Alex,” Barach coaxed softly, “you know you can trust me, right?” The boy nodded. “So if there’s something you want to talk about, I promise I won’t tell Gabriel.”

“But he’s your friend.”

“I never told him about what happened with the krokuta, did I?” Mostly because Barach knew he’d be in just as much trouble as Alex over that.

Alex bit his lip. He stared down at the array of pastries displayed on the counter. “I… I think it’s my fault Remi got expelled.”

“Your fault?”

The boy nodded. He nervously tugged at the red bracelet around his wrist. “If Gabriel finds out… I think he’s going to hate me.”

“I don’t think Gabriel could ever hate you, no matter what you do.” Barach patted Alex’s shoulder reassuringly. “You remember what Iscriel said before you ran off? Remi got caught with something prohibited. He was trying to sell it. That has nothing to do with you. He was greedy, and he made his own choices.” 

Alex’s bottom lip remained sticking out in that cute little pout. “Remi wasn’t greedy.”

“You saw his piercings and rings. That amount of gold isn’t cheap, and he wears it for fashion. He’s vain, and it was always only a matter of time before someone like him messed up.”

“Someone like him?”

Right. Alex didn’t know what Remiel really was. Barach wasn’t going to be the one to tell him.

“I know it’s hard when someone has to leave,” Barach said, shifting the topic, “but it’ll get easier. Come on. Let’s head back before it gets busier in here.”

“Yes, Barach.” 

They finished collecting their food and left. On the way out, Alex grabbed one more bread roll, which he stuffed in his mouth on their flight back up to Gabriel’s room. 

Barach opened the door without knocking and entered first. Gabriel was back at his desk, books open and quill in hand. He had resumed working on the report he’d been trying to finish when the Headmaster showed up. Gabriel barely raised his head when they entered, just enough to acknowledge that Barach had returned with Alex.

“We brought food,” Barach announced.

“Not hungry,” Gabriel grumbled. He scratched a few more words onto the parchment before him. 

“Good, because I didn’t get enough for you.” Barach placed the overloaded basket on the floor by the plush chair.

Alex followed him over, watching Gabriel warily. Barach tapped his shoulder, then pointed to the golden apples. He motioned for Alex to take one to his brother. 

The boy’s wings tightened against his back as he selected one. He walked across the room nervously, then stood beside Gabriel’s desk, holding the apple out. He didn’t make a sound.

“What?” Gabriel snapped. He looked up. 

“I’m sorry,” Alex replied. He offered the apple to his brother with both hands. 

Eyes narrowed, Gabriel regarded Alex for a moment before he reached out and took the fruit. “I have to finish this assignment,” he said. “Don’t bother me.” 

“Yes, Gabriel,” Alex said meekly. He hurried back to Barach and the basket of food.

Barach frowned at his silver-haired friend, but Gabriel resumed studying, oblivious to the room. Well, if he wanted to continue to act like a stubborn idiot, fine. Barach would spend some time with Alex. He wasn’t going to leave the boy feeling miserable and alone just because his brother was stupid. Gabriel could get so wrapped up in being right, he never stopped to wonder if it was worth it. 

“Come on, Alex, I’ll read a book to you while we eat.”

“A book?” The boy didn’t look enthused.

Barach grinned. “It’s not an academy book. It’s a story. A made up adventure people used to read for fun back on Ahn.” Alex tilted his head like he didn’t understand. “You’ll like it,” Barach assured him.

“I guess,” Alex said reluctantly.

Barach smiled at the boy, then sat in the plush chair. He pulled the basket of food close, picked up his book, and patted his thigh. “Come here.”

Alex approached with a little uncertainty. He made a short squeak of protest when Barach picked him up and sat him on his lap, but he didn’t struggle. Alex’s wings pressed against Barach’s chest, but the boy was still small enough that Barach could easily reach around him. Alex barely weighed anything. 

“Can you reach the food?” 

Alex shifted slightly so he could lean over and grab a roll from the basket beside the chair. He nodded as he took a bite and settled back against Barach. “It’s fine.”

“Good.” Barach flipped open the story to the first page. He curled an arm around Alex and held the book out before them in case the boy wanted to follow along while they read. A loose feather peeked out from between the pages toward the end, marking Barach’s own progress in the story, but he didn’t mind starting it over again. It was one of his favorites. He’d read it a dozen times already.

“‘Lightning cracked across the purple sky, rending the wisps of clouds and destroying tomorrow’s hope of rain. Shepard Clearwater raised her head, eyes drawn to the wings of the savior who cared little for her crops or the herd of avocarri in her charge. The ponderous beasts ripped at what little teal vegetation grew beneath their feet, unbothered by the battle overhead. The petty fights of the ancients were meaningless to beasts bound to the stone, and even the Shepard herself found she cared more for the rain. That was until she saw him fall…’” 

By the end of the first chapter, Alex was completely enthralled with the story. He gasped and fluttered his wings against Barach’s chest when the Shepard lunged for the four-winged Isten, just as the unconscious man slipped over the edge of the dry gulch. In the next chapter, Alex grabbed Barach’s wrist, scared for the Shepard and the broken Isten as they walked through the cave, searching for the healing pond, unaware of the venomous beasts lurking above them. The third chapter, Alex jumped when the oravic fish burst out of the pond, its teeth sinking into the Isten and dragging him into the glowing blue depths.

Barach found he enjoyed watching Alex’s reactions. The boy was adorable. The only time Alex looked away from the book was when he needed to grab another piece of food. He ate a lot, but Barach didn’t mind having wiggling boy on his lap. 

During the fourth chapter, Alex finally seemed full. He relaxed against Barach’s chest while Barach read about the newly healed Isten, revived by the healing pond, destroying the invasive fish. The Isten pledged an oath of gratitude to the Shepard, granting her one request. She asked, not for fortune or status, but for him to end the battle that had broken her land for decades. It was impossible, even for an Isten. The artifact they fought over was lost. The war could only end if it was returned, or death consumed the immortals.

By the time Barach reached the end of the chapter, he realized Alex was falling asleep. It was a little disappointing. The next part of the story was Barach’s favorite, where the Isten and the Shepard journeyed to the magenta jungle to find the artifact in the ruins. He didn’t want Alex to miss it.

But then, Alex adjusted. He turned toward Barach and tucked his head under Barach’s chin. Alex snuggled against him, and Barach could feel the boy’s warm breath on his neck.

Just like that, the story didn’t matter. The scent of the boy filled Barach’s head, and he struggled to focus. 

_Fiends_ , why did he have to smell so wonderful?

 _He’s just a Terran_ , Barach reminded himself. _Part of him reminds you of Gabe. Don’t get attached._

Despite his admonition to himself, Barach was exceedingly careful as he turned the pages and continued reading. He didn’t want to disturb the boy curled perfectly in the crook of his arm. He might have stumbled over a few lines or read them twice, but the low murmur of his voice had Alex completely relaxed and asleep before they were even halfway through the chapter.

For several moments, Barach just sat there. He lamented having plans for the evening, but at the same time, he knew he couldn’t stay. The thoughts he was having were completely indecent. He needed to step away and clear his head.

“Gabe.” Barach threw his voice across the room, using subvocal tones like he would while flying. He didn’t want to wake Alex.

“Don’t call me that,” the silver-haired boy grumbled, not even bothering to turn around. He continued writing, filling the scroll before him with blocks of tiny text.

“ _Gabe_ ,” Barach insisted.

“ _What?_ ” Gabriel snapped as he turned around. 

“Help.” Barach held his hands out, making a show of not touching Alex, even as the little boy murmured against his collarbone and clenched Barach’s shirt in his fist.

A flash of jealously crossed Gabriel’s face, which Barach expected. Sensible and understanding was not Gabriel’s strong suit when it came to his brother, even if he was only half bonded to the Terran. Then again, with Alex curled against him like this, Barach could almost understand the appeal.

Almost.

“Get him off me,” Barach said before Gabriel could complain loud enough to wake Alex. “I’m going to be late meeting Erem.”

Jaw clenched, Gabriel walked over. He didn’t say anything as he bent down and slid his arms beneath his brother’s thin body. He picked Alex up carefully, like he thought he might break. Alex’s brow furrowed, almost waking, but Gabriel made little shushing noises as he straightened and held his brother to him. Alex curled toward him and resumed sleeping peacefully.

“What?” Gabriel snapped when he caught Barach staring.

“You’re cute with him,” Barach said. There was no point lying. Gabriel could always tell.

“Shut up,” Gabriel grumbled. His cheeks reddened. “Get the fuck out of here. I don’t want Erem showing up looking for you.”

Barach stood and tucked his book under his arm. “Be nice, Gabriel. You don’t want to wake Alex. He’s had a hard day.”

Irritated, Gabriel carried Alex to his bed. “Just leave.” He laid his little brother down, but as he started to pull away, Alex’s fingers caught his shirt. Gabriel froze, waiting to see if Alex was waking up, but the boy’s eyes remained closed. 

“Don’t go…” came the tiny whimper. “I don’t want to be alone…”

Barach could see the turmoil on Gabriel’s face. The silver-haired Ahnnak looked to his desk, piled with work, like he was actually considering going back to it.

“I could stay, if you’re busy,” Barach suggested.

Gabriel sighed and shook his head. “Go. I was done for tonight anyway.” He adjusted Alex so that he could lay down beside him. The black-haired boy instantly curled toward his brother and pressed his nose to Gabriel’s chest. 

Gabriel’s stern expression softened, ever so slightly. He smoothed Alex’s hair down with a gentle caress.

 _Fuck,_ they were really cute. 

Barach hesitated. He licked his lips. “You know… With Remi gone, I could watch Alex sometimes. Even if he is just a, um…” He shrugged. It didn’t feel appropriate to say aloud in front of Alex, even if he was asleep.

Gabriel rested his cheek on top of Alex’s head and glared at Barach. His fingers twitched against the sleeping boy’s hip, pulling him closer. His tone was dark when he said, “I don’t think that is a good idea.”

Maybe Gabriel was right. Except… 

“I could help you, Gabriel. With him. With all of this. You know, if I claimed him-”

“Get out, Barach, before you say something you regret.” Gabriel’s voice was quiet and calm, in that calculated way that was far more dangerous than his temper. 

Barach nodded. Yeah, Gabriel was probably right. This wasn’t the time to discuss this. “Good night, Gabe,” he said softly. He turned toward the door.

“Don’t call me that,” Gabriel replied, but his eyes were already closed. He looked peaceful laying next to his brother.

Barach lowered the phosphor lights and closed the door behind him. That last image of Gabriel and Alex curled together followed him as he walked out of the advanced curriculum dorms and flew down to his room. He needed to see Erem. He needed someone who could help him banish his inappropriate thoughts of the brothers. He knew it was wrong to feel and think such things. 

Gabriel was his friend. Nothing more.

And Alex… Alex was just a kid, only eleven years old. He was Gabriel’s little brother. 

Only, he wasn’t really Gabriel’s brother. They were only half bonded, linked together through a Terran. That was hardly a connection at all.

Plus, Alex was beginning to mature. The shades of the man he was to become were already showing in his slim frame. He would be beautiful. There was a softness to his lips that begged to be touched, even now. Barach couldn’t help but imagine the anger and envy in Gabriel’s eyes if Barach were to steal a kiss and taste that sweet little mouth…

Barach flung open the door to his room. Erem was already back, in the midst of changing. He jumped and spun around when Barach burst in. 

“Fiends, you scared me.” Erem fluttered his wings against his blue skin. His shirt hung open in the front, untied. “I was just getting ready. Detention was a nightmare.”

Barach close the door behind him and tossed his book onto the shelf. 

Erem resumed dressing. He adjusted the pin in the wrap around his waist, then began straightening out his shirt to tie it. “I cannot wait to get to get out of the academy tonight. Iscriel had me completing missed assignments all day. I thought I was going to go crazy in that little room. Oh, did you ask Gabriel if he wanted to come?”

“No.” Before Erem could finish tying his shirt, Barach approached and grabbed his wrist. “Change of plans.”

“We’re not going out?” Erem blinked up at Barach with bright yellow eyes. 

Barach slipped a hand around Erem’s waist and pulled him close, grinding his erection against his boyfriend. “I need you.” 

A small smile touched Erem’s lips. “You missed me that much?”

“Always.” Barach released Erem’s wrist. 

Erem slid his arms up around Barach’s neck. “I still want to go out.”

Barach removed the pin from Erem’s wrap and flung it across the room, embedding the sharp point into the wooden desk with several others. The fabric uncoiled from Erem’s hips and fell to the floor. Barach ran his hands up Erem’s firm chest and slipped the shirt off his shoulders. He let that fall to the floor, too. “You can’t go out looking like this,” he said softly. “You’re naked.” He leaned in and kissed Erem’s neck.

Erem tilted his head back, allowed Barach easier access. He chuckled slightly as he said, “Bully,” then gave himself over to Barach to use however he wanted.


	18. Gabriel: 9th Degree of Tides, 596 DE

“Gabriel?”

“Hm?”

“Are you awake?”

“No, Alex. Go back to sleep.”

There was silence, but of course now that Gabriel had been woken up, he wasn’t going to be able to fall back asleep. The events of the previous day returned to him, including why his little brother was in his bed with him in the first place. 

Gabriel raised his head and squinted at the daylight tube in the corner. It glowed a soft pink from the coming dawn. It was too early to be awake on a weekend. Gabriel dropped his head back on the pillow and sighed. 

“Why are you awake, Alex? Bad dream?” Gabriel could feel his brother nodding beside him. He rolled toward him and pulled his slim body close. “Was it about him?”

“No… It was about you.”

Gabriel could barely make out the boy’s features in the darkness, but he could feel Alex tremble at his touch. He was still afraid. “It was just a dream,” he assured him. He gently stroked Alex’s black hair back from his face. “I’ll never let anything bad happen to you.”

“You were really mad…”

Gabriel wasn’t sure if Alex was still talking about the dream or what happened yesterday. They were probably related. “Did I scare you?” he asked softly.

Alex nodded.

“I’m sorry,” Gabriel said. “I’m not mad at you.”

Alex curled closer to Gabriel, hiding his face against his chest. “I’m sorry, too,” he whispered. “I should have listened to you.”

“Yeah… You can’t run away from me when I’m trying to keep you safe, but…” Gabriel wrapped an arm around Alex’s wings and rested his chin on the boy’s head. “But I understand why you did it. You were upset. It’s okay.”

Alex held the fabric of Gabriel’s tunic in his fists. He was shaking slightly when he said, “I miss Remi.”

“I know,” Gabriel said, trying to control his irritation at the older Ahnnak. “Remi fucked up. It was a mistake to trust him.”

“But he’s my friend.”

“Then you need better friends.” Gabriel’s words were harsh. He didn’t mean to sound so annoyed, but he didn’t like when Alex talked back to him. “Listen, Iscriel thinks you don’t need another tutor. I’m going to talk to him. I need someone to watch you when I can’t.”

“I don’t want someone else,” the boy pouted.

“Alex,” Gabriel cautioned. “You know I have to focus on my classes. I can’t chase after you every time you get in trouble.”

“I promise I’ll be good.” 

“I know you’ll try, but it’s not just you.” Gabriel stroked Alex’s hair, letting the long silken strands slide through his fingers. “Even the academy isn’t safe for you. There are people who would hurt you to hurt me, if they knew we were related.”

“They hurt you?” the boy asked, worry making his voice tight.

“Alex, that’s not the point.” Gabriel sighed and touched Alex’s chin, tilting his face up. There was a little more light in the room, enough for Gabriel could see the fear in Alex’s black eyes. He hated that Alex could still look so scared. “I’m fine. You know nothing can hurt me, not here. No matter what they do, they’re nothing compared to him, and I would face him a hundred times to keep you safe.”

“I don’t want you getting hurt because of me.”

“I’m your big brother, Alex. It’s my job to protect you, and I’ll do everything in my power to keep you from ever getting hurt again, okay?” He lowered his face and touched his forehead against his little brother’s. 

Alex nodded and closed his eyes. “Okay.”

For a few quiet moments, Gabriel forgot about everything outside the room. He listened to the steady beat of his little brother’s heart, and was thankful that nothing terrible had happened during the boy’s reckless visits to Marut. Maybe it would be better with Remiel gone. No one could really trust an Ander, after all. 

In the silence, Gabriel heard a low grumble. “Alex?” he asked softly.

“Yes?” The word was barely a breath across Gabriel’s skin.

“Are you hungry?”

There was a pause, before Alex answered, “Yes, Brother.”

“Alex.”

“I’m sorry.” The boy’s eyes opened. “Gabriel.”

The silver-haired Ahnnak smiled. “You got any food left in the basket?” Alex nodded. “Go clean up, and then you can eat. I don’t think either of us are falling back asleep any time soon.”

“Yes, Gabriel.” Alex sat up and slipped off the bed, heading to the bathing room. He didn’t make a sound as he walked on his toes across the cold stone floor. Gabriel imagined some habits were harder to stop than others. 

After the door closed, Gabriel got up and stretched. His wings ached. He spent too long at his desk yesterday, even with everything else going on. There were still several assignments to finish before class tomorrow. Gabriel hated when Barach had days off from the Hunt. The Ahnnak always hung around, preventing any classmate from coming over to study. 

Then again, if Barach hadn’t been around yesterday, Gabriel didn’t know what would have happened.

Gabriel approached his desk and noticed the golden apple Alex gave him sitting next to the scroll he’d been working on last night. The apple was untouched. Gabriel stared at it a moment, skeptical. Had he really not eaten it? 

Had he eaten anything at all yesterday?

It seemed absurd. How could he go a whole day without eating? Yet, the more he thought about it, the more he realized he’d done just that, and he was starving. 

As Gabriel picked up the apple and took a bite, his eyes were drawn to his latest assignment. He chewed and reread the last few lines he’d written. It was an assignment about splicing genes in cross species bacterium to create viable offspring. It was tedious and boring, but Gabriel was expected to be amazing at it because of who his father was. 

He touched the apple to his lips, about to take a second bite, when he noticed a small mistake in his work. Gabriel frowned, the apple forgotten on the desk once more as he sat to corrected the error.

“Gabriel?”

The silver-haired Ahnnak jumped. He hadn’t heard Alex emerged from the bathing room. The boy stood beside him, smelling of soap. “What, Alex?”

“Will you eat with me?”

“In a moment. I need to finish this.” Gabriel tapped the scroll. He was almost done. 

“Oh…” Alex sounded disappointed, but he tried to hide it when he asked, “What is it?”

“Micro-organism genetics. It’s boring. Don’t worry about it.” He reached over and ruffled Alex’s hair. “Go eat.”

“Can I eat by you?”

“Sure. On the floor, though. I don’t want anything sticky on my assignment.” As he said that, he realized his own fingers were slightly sticky from the apple he’d taken a bite of. He stood. “Don’t touch anything. I’m going to wash.”

“Yes, Gabriel.” Alex pulled the basket over while Gabriel walked to the bathing room. 

After washing his hands, Gabriel took the time to comb the knots from his silver hair. He looked like he slept better last night than he had all year. He had gone to bed early though, with Alex curled against him. He hated that he couldn’t keep Alex closer all the time, but it just wasn’t reasonable.

Gabriel walked out of the bathing room, and for a second, he had trouble making sense of what he was seeing. His brother stood at his desk, an ink stained quill in his hand, drawing on the scroll containing Gabriel’s genetics project.

“Alex!” Gabriel yelled, furious. His wings snapped open.

The boy startled and spun fast, dropping the quill with a splatter of ink on the unrolled parchment. “I’m sorry!” he exclaimed, because as Gabriel stalked toward him, he already knew he was in trouble. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Gabriel grabbed Alex’s arm and jerked him away from the desk. 

“I-I was trying to help!” Alex stumbled, wincing at Gabriel’s grip.

“Help?” Gabriel shook him. “Do you have any idea how complex-” He grit his teeth, too angry to even try to explain it. “Ugh! Fiends take you, Alex! I’m going to have to rewrite the whole fucking thing now!”

“I’m sorry!” Alex exclaimed, twisting against the grip Gabriel had on him. “The pattern didn’t match-”

“Pattern?! It’s genetic manipulation, not a fucking dot-to-dot picture.” He shook Alex again, and the boy became still. “ _This_ is why I can’t keep you around. You never think before you do something stupid!”

“I’m sorry.” His words were whispered. He looked up at Gabriel with pitiful black eyes.

“Sorry isn’t good enough this time.” Gabriel shoved Alex toward the bed, and when the black-haired boy landed on the blankets, he stayed there, head lowered. Gabriel gritted his teeth. The urge to march over and beat his brother was strong. Fiends knew Alex deserved it. 

Instead, Gabriel picked up the scroll to see how much damage the boy had done, hoping for the slim chance that he would be able to salvage the work. Scribbles blacked out whole segments of the reconstructed genetic code. Childish handwriting tried to mimic the pattern in the margins. “Damn it, Alex! This is going to take me hours to fix.” He couldn’t even see through the ink to see what he’d originally written. The ink bled through, staining the desk beneath. “Why would you do this?”

Alex raised his head enough that he could peer through his hair to Gabriel. “I-I could hear the pattern. It works better.”

“It’s not a game.” Gabriel shook his head, frustrated. “Fiends, Alex, just go back to your room. I can’t focus with you here.” 

Alex slowly stood up. “I don’t want to go.”

“Don’t fucking argue with me,” Gabriel snapped, losing control of his temper in a brief flash of rage. Alex pulled his wings in tight and began to shake. Gabriel hated seeing Alex like that, but he didn’t trust himself to deal with his brother without hitting him at the moment. He forced himself to sound calmer. “Just go.” 

“Yes, Gabriel.” The little boy picked up his shoes and moved toward the door. A few tears rolled down Alex’s cheeks, but he didn’t make a sound. 

Gabriel watched him, ignoring the part of himself that wanted to go to his brother and comfort him. He wanted to keep Alex close, but he knew it was stupid to think he could get his work done with Alex around. He would only make things worse.

Alex looked back once before the door closed, and then it was too late for Gabriel to change his mind. He was alone in his room with a stack of work he had no chance of completing before tomorrow, especially after he lost all his progress from last night. 

_Hours of work, just gone._

Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to focus. It was too much. He couldn’t do it all alone.

Then again, without Barach looming over him today, he wouldn’t have to. 

Gabriel slid his hand down his face and examined the pile of work on his desk. He knew who he could go to for help. 

Before the sun rose, Gabriel was clean, dressed, and out the door with a few unfinished assignments tucked under his arm. The ruined scroll remained on his desk, but he would deal with it later. He closed the door behind him, sealed it with an altered ice conjuration, and went in search of a study partner.

***

Despite Barach’s constant interference, Gabriel hadn’t stopped seeking assistance with his classwork over the past couple months. He just had to be more secretive about it. The girls he worked with all believed they were special, because everyone at the academy knew Gabriel’s bodyguards turned so many away from him. They also knew if they said anything, they’d be next. 

The whole situation worked out well for Gabriel, at least when Barach was too busy to meddle. After the Summer Hunt began, avoiding the older Ahnnak got easier, with all the required practices and games, but Barach still found time to lurk around on his days off, like yesterday. 

Then again, if he hadn’t been there to help with Alex, Gabriel wasn’t sure what would have happened. Probably nothing good. Barach’s calm strength was a reliable counter to Gabriel’s temper, at least most of the time. 

Except…

As Gabriel walked through the quiet halls of the Advanced Curriculum dorms, he remembered the look in Barach’s eyes just before he left last night. There was something dark in his friend. 

_Something hungry._

Maybe it wasn’t a good idea for Alex to be around Barach anymore, especially unattended. 

It wasn’t that Gabriel didn’t trust his friends. He trusted Barach and Erem more than anyone else, but when it came to Alex, trust wasn’t enough. 

But right now, Gabriel couldn’t worry about any of them. He arrived at the AC dorm of Falla, a Terran girl who he shared two classes with this year. She wasn’t anything exceptional, but she studied regularly and took good notes. She would be useful today, as she had been before.

Gabriel knocked and waited. This early, it was likely that Falla was still in bed. He knocked again, and after a moment, he heard shuffling and footsteps. The door cracked open, and a girl with brown skin and turquoise eyes peeked out. The light gown she wore was threadbare, and Gabriel could tell she wore nothing underneath.

“Gabriel? What…?” She leaned out, peering up and down the hall. “What’s going on?”

“Falla, I need your help.” Gabriel leaned against the wall with an exhausted expression. “I’ve been working on this assignment all weekend, and I just can’t figure out what I’m missing.”

“It’s barely past sunrise, Gabriel.”

He furrowed his silver brow. “It’s… It’s morning?” He rubbed his eyes with the hand not holding the assignments he needed done. “I must have lost track of time. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come here. I didn’t mean to wake you. I’ll go-”

“No, it’s fine,” Falla said quickly. “I was up already.” She opened the door. “Come in. I’ll try to help.”

Gabriel entered the room. He’d never been invited in to Falla’s room before. Once, he escorted her back after a session of heavy petting in the stacks of the library, but she had coyly kissed him goodnight and left him in the hall. He didn’t mind, because she’d done his work that weekend, but it was strange being turned away. Seeing her room, he thought he understood why she’d done it now.

Falla’s room was a mess. Sheer scarfs and skirts lay draped across every surface except her desk, which was stacked with books that belonged on the shelf. There was no space on the shelf, because it was filled with old dolls and toys. Considering Falla was four years older than Gabriel, the whole room felt very childish. 

It also made sense why Gabriel had had so much trouble winning her over. He’d been trying to act older, because very few girls enjoyed being with a boy who reminded them of a little brother. His behavior hadn’t been an issue before. In fact, pretending to be proper and mature had become so natural, sometimes he forgot it was just an act. 

Like everything else he did.

Gabriel picked up a carved spinning top with runes on the six sides. “I got rid of all my toys,” he said wistfully, like it was an absent-minded thought that just slipped out.

Falla joined him by the shelf. “You did?”

“When I started the advanced classes.” He hadn’t really had toys to begin with, so that wasn’t entirely a lie. “I was bullied a lot for being so much younger than everyone else. I just wanted to fit in.”

“Were you really bullied?”

He nodded. “I was. I thought if I acted older, maybe they would forget, but… But I feel like they’re just waiting for me to mess up, so they can rip me apart again.” He sighed heavily. “Sometimes I miss being a kid. Everything was…”

“Simpler?” Falla suggested.

Gabriel gave a brief laugh and turned toward her with a smile. “Yes. Simpler.”

Falla stood before Gabriel, barely as tall at his shoulder. Her long, dark brown hair could have been considered black, especially in this light, but in the sun, it was lit with auburn highlights. Gabriel realized he had never seen her without her hair tied back in a tight, knee-length braid. Seeing it loose, in a cascade of waves over her wings, nearly reaching the floor, felt more intimate than seeing her in her sheer nightgown.

“Thank you, by the way,” said Gabriel, looking deeply into her turquoise eyes. 

“For what?” She smiled up at him.

“Never making fun of me, even when I’m struggling.” He brushed her nearly-black hair back from her face and tucked it behind her ear.

“I would never make fun of you, Gabriel,” she said earnestly. 

“I know.” He let his fingers slide through her hair, briefly distracted by how coarse and dry it felt. It was nothing like Alex’s hair. Even in the sun, his hair was as black as the starless void. It smoothly slipped through Gabriel’s fingers whenever he stroked it back from his face like this. He couldn’t resist the urge to touch Alex, but the same motion with Falla felt awkward. 

Doubt was not something he needed right now. Gabriel reminded himself why he was doing this in the first place, then leaned forward and kissed the girl.

Falla was surprised, but only for a moment. Her mouth softened and she returned his kiss with equal intensity. When she reached out to touch his chest, Gabriel broke the kiss and pulled back with a gasp. 

“I’m so sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have- This isn’t why I came here. I need help, and I couldn’t stop thinking of you.”

“Of me?”

“For the assignments,” he clarified. He looked down like he was embarrassed. Falla seemed to enjoy his perceived innocence and youth. He couldn’t believe he had missed it before. “I’ve been up all night, and I know I should understand the work, but it just doesn’t make sense. You’re always so nice to me, and I feel like you’re the only one I can ask for help who won’t treat me like I’m just a dumb kid.”

“You’re not dumb, Gabriel.” She took his hand and pulled him over to her bed. “Show me what you’ve got done so far.”

“You’re going to laugh,” he said with a childish pout.

“I promise I won’t laugh. Sit.”

Gabriel sat on her rumpled bed. He could still feel her warmth where she’d been laying in the sheets before he woke her. “You sure I’m not bothering you?” he asked uncertainly.

“I’m sure.” Falla sat beside him. “Show me what you’ve got done so far.”

Gabriel opened a book and presented her with one of the unfinished assignments. “I was working on this before I came over here. It’s for Quorin’s class. I just need help on the bottom half.”

Falla took the assignment and examined Gabriel’s work. She frowned a bit, then tactfully said, “Well, that’s not quite how I completed my assignment. When was the last time you slept, Gabriel?”

“What day is it?” he asked sheepishly.

She breathed out with a whistle. “How about I get a new sheet of parchment and we start over?”

Gabriel winced. “Is it that bad?”

“No, not at all, it’s just… Quorin isn’t going to accept ‘Jump higher’ as an answer for best propulsion system to break atmosphere.”

“I didn’t actually write that, did I?” He took the parchment back from her and reread his answers. He knew exactly what was on the page, but he groaned and flopped back on the bed as if he was embarrassed. He used the assignment to cover his face. “I’m going to fail.”

“You’re not going to fail,” Falla assured him. She crawled up beside his head and touched his hands, pulling them away from his face. “I’ll help you.” 

“You will?” Gabriel mimicked that uncertain, pitiful look Alex was always giving him. 

“Of course.” Falla took the assignment from him and sat it aside. “But maybe you should get some sleep first.”

“I can’t sleep yet.” He started to sit up, but Falla put a hand on his chest and pushed him back down.

“You need to. Staying up so long isn’t good for you.” 

“But if I don’t get the work done, it proves them right.” 

Falla tilted her head. “Who?”

“Everyone who says I’m too young to be here. They think it’s too much for me.” He turned his head away from her. “Maybe they are right.”

“No, they’re not.” Falla’s hand caressed his cheek, turning his face back toward her. “You belong here more than any of them, Gabriel.”

“Falla-”

She kissed him this time. He responded with a little hesitation, letting her lead. Her hair fell around them like a curtain as she softly coaxed his mouth open and deepened the kiss. It was almost enjoyable, until her hand moved down his chest and stomach, fingers reaching for the waistband of his slacks.

Gabriel caught her wrist and broke the kiss. “Wait.”

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Falla, I need these assignments done first.”

“They can wait.” She leaned down to kiss him again, but he held her back.

“Falla, please. I’ve been up all night. I-I can’t right now.”

“Can’t?” She licked her lips slowly. “Even if I help a little bit?”

“I want to,” he breathed, gazing up at her. “I want you. I’m just too tired.”

She sighed and sat back. “What if I let you take a nap?” Before Gabriel could say anything, she held up her hand. “I’ll see what I can do with your coursework while you rest. When it’s done, I’ll wake you up, and we can play.”

“Play?”

Falla raised an eyebrow and gave him a coy smirk.

Gabriel laughed nervously. “Play. Okay, but… I shouldn’t sleep in your bed. If the hall monitors do a room sweep, we’ll both get in trouble.”

“True,” she said thoughtfully. “Then I’ll bring your books back to your room this afternoon.”

“You would really do that for me?” he asked, sitting up.

“I’ve always been curious about your room.” She smiled, touched his cheek, and kissed him again. “Go on. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

“I’m going to have dreams of you,” he murmured against her lips.

“I can’t wait to hear all about them.”

After a few more light kisses, Gabriel left the stack of assignments on the bed beside Falla and returned to his room. He figured he had earned himself at least six hours before she would come by. By then, he’d be ready for a bit of distraction.

As long as he completed all his other work first.

Coming back into the room, Gabriel nearly tripped over the basket of food Alex left behind. He pushed it aside. There wasn’t much left within, just a couple golden apples and a few dense loaves of bread, but Gabriel didn’t have time to eat now. He needed to focus.

Snapping his wings back, Gabriel sat at his desk. He pulled a new scroll out from a drawer. As he broke the twine holding it closed, he examined the mess Alex had made of his genetics assignment. Black ink stained the parchment, destroying whole sections of the code Gabriel had spent hours compiling over the past week. Alex’s messy handwriting was scribbled along the margins of the scroll in a mocking mimicry of the work he had destroyed. 

It made Gabriel mad. What had Alex been thinking? This was a study of gene splicing in microorganisms, not some seventh year art project. Why did his little brother have to be so annoying and touch all his stuff? Alex hadn’t even written real words. He just used weird symbols, covering the scroll in nonsense.

Except…

Those symbols weren’t entirely unfamiliar. Gabriel read over them a few times, trying to remember where he’d seen them before. As he did, his eyes picked up a pattern.

Gabriel paused. He read it again, hearing the symbols in his head like a rhythm. Four parts, linked in pairs, alternating initiation. He glanced at his own writing, seeing the same rhythm there, but with words.

No. That wasn’t possible. But if it was…

Before Gabriel could doubt his intuition too much, he picked up a quill. He sketched out an analysis of Alex’s symbols, comparing them to the nucleotides in his own writing. It took a few attempts before he discovered the translation, but when he did, it was like everything snapped into focus. 

It was obvious. The rhythm of the spliced gene flowed down the scroll, blending flawlessly between the joined organisms.

Gabriel leaned back from the desk, blinking away the patterns that made so much sense now. How was that even possible? They didn’t teach genetics before eighth year, and even then, it was basic traits and genomes. Where would Alex have-

Oh. 

The symbols suddenly made sense. Gabriel _had_ seen them before. They were in old journals, a form of shorthand used by Isten to share information with one another. 

Journals, like the ones Jequn kept in his room. 

Alex hadn’t learned this from the academy. He learned it from years spent at Jequn’s side, listening to the man talk and write. How much had his father taught Alex?

Why hadn’t Jequn ever taught Gabriel?

It was a childish, immature thought, fueled with jealously Gabriel knew was stupid. He was better off away from his father. Alex, too. 

Gabriel unrolled the clean scroll, then set to copying the new genetic sequence over in neat, crisp handwriting. Without a doubt, he knew this work would be praised by the instructor. It was just what everyone expected from the son of the Isten Jequn.


	19. Remiel: 3rd Degree of Predators, 596 DE

“You’ve been in bed for days, Rem. Get up. Go shower.” Zak’s deep voice, normally so pleasant, was hard to listen to.

“It’s too difficult. Just let me die like the Ander trash I am.” Remiel buried his head under the pillow. 

“I told Zoph I would get you out of bed today, and that’s what I’m going to do, even if I have to drag you out.” Zak grabbed Remiel’s leg and pulled. 

Despite his best efforts, Remiel wasn’t able to stop his Terran boyfriend from hauling him out of bed. “No, I don’t want to go!” Remiel yowled, clinging to the mattress.

Zak pried Remiel’s grip free then lifted him with an arm around his waist and carried him into the small bathing room. “I’ve let you wallow long enough.” Zak stood Remiel in the shower basin, though the overhead water was still off. “Get undressed.”

“No.” Remiel stubbornly wrapped his arms around himself.

“Suit yourself.” Zak flipped on the water. The cold water hit Remiel like he’d been slapped. He tried to leap out past Zak, but the Terran pushed him back in. “It’ll warm up in a minute. The heaters are working right now, but they go on their lunch break in an hour, so you better be clean before then.”

“You’re a jerk,” Remiel told Zak through chattering teeth.

“Sure. Whatever you say, Rem.”

Within another minute, the water coming through the pipes began to warm, but that didn’t change the fact that Remiel was standing there in sopping clothes. His hair and wings were drenched, too, and he could only imagine how pitiful he looked. 

“You ready to get undressed now?” Zak asked.

“Yes,” Remiel replied with a pout.

“Do you need help?” 

Remiel nodded. “Please.” 

With a small smile, Zak pulled Remiel’s shirt off. The wet cloth clung to his bronze skin and caught on the manacle around his wrist, but Zak patiently got it untangled without bumping the bruises there too much. He untied the lacing at the front of Remiel’s pants and helped him step out of the heavy, wet fabric when it bunched around his ankles. He hung the clothing over a wire along the ceiling, so it could drip into the wash basin without damaging the floor. 

After Remiel was completely naked, save for the inescapable manacle, Zak picked up the soap and began to scrub him all over. Remiel was grateful that he only needed to stand there. Having Zak care for him did make him feel better, and when the water washed the soap away, he felt a little more like himself. 

“I’m going to wash your face,” Zak said. Remiel closed his eyes. Zak lathered his hands, then scrubbed at his bronze skin with his fingertips. He pushed Remiel’s head under the water, rinsing it all away. Remiel came back out sputtering. Zak wiped his eyes with his thumbs. “There. You’re okay.”

Remiel blinked a few times before he felt like his vision was clear. Zak leaned in and kissed his forehead. “Do you want me to wash your hair for you?” 

“I can do it.” Remiel held out his hands and Zak poured a mixture of soap and scented lotion onto his palms. He rubbed his hands together and then worked the soap through his hair. Wet and heavy, his hair hung straight passed his shoulders, nearly reaching his pierced nipples. It would spring back up when it was dry, but it took time to wash, especially since he hadn’t done it in a while. 

Remiel stood under the water and rinsed off again, letting the soap run down his back. He let the spray hit his wings, not making any effort to hold them out of the way. He doubted the water could damage his feathers, since he couldn’t remember the last time he preened. It had been days, at least. Maybe weeks.

When he was done, Zak turned off the water. “There. That wasn’t so hard, was it?” 

“I’d still rather be in bed,” Remiel mumbled.

“Yes, and I would love to have you in bed, if you smell this clean and delicious.” Zak picked up a towel and draped it over Remiel’s hair. He rubbed vigorously, working his way down Remiel’s body. 

“I can dry myself,” Remiel said while he looked down as Zak. The Terran was crouched before him, being extra attentive to Remiel’s legs. 

“Not taking any risks,” Zak said, making no effort to disguise his smirk. He slid the towel up between Remiel’s thighs. “You might miss a spot.” 

“You certainly won’t.” Remiel balanced himself with a hand on Zak’s shoulder as his boyfriend thoroughly dried between his legs. He wondered how much Zak was wanting to do. Was it his plan to clean him up, only to make a mess of him again?

But then Zak stood up, finished with the towel. He lay it across the sink. “I’ll help you with your wings.”

“I’m not a little kid.” Remiel frowned, but Zak took his arm and led him out of the room. He picked out a baggy shirt and baggy pants for Remiel to wear. Any other time, Remiel would have protested. The clothes were a drab and old, but it wasn’t like anyone else was going to see him. Plus, they smelled like Zak, so Remiel pulled them on without comment. 

Zak sat Remiel in the living room among the pillows. He took one of Remiel’s wings and began preening the feathers. Remiel tucked his other wing under his arm and half-heartedly did the same. He didn’t want to, but it didn’t feel right to have Zak do all the work. 

“Sophie said you have another letter from Alex,” Zak said while he worked. “You should ask him to come visit.

“He’s grounded.”

“Grounded?”

Remiel pulled a bent shaft out of his wing with a quick tug. “Gabriel told him not to leave the academy.”

“Even to visit you?” 

Remiel scoffed. “Especially to visit me. I’ve been disowned, Zak. I might as well be an Ander.”

“But you’re not. It’s okay to be sad, but you can’t keep mourning the academy.”

“Archridge was everything. I spent all my life waiting to be allowed into the textile specialization, just to have it taken away. All for what? Some stupid string?”

“You’re brilliant, Rem, and you don’t need permission from stuffy instructors to create what you want. There’s nothing they could have taught you that you didn’t already know.” Zak straighted several feathers in quick succession, sending chills down Remiel’s spine. It was strange how something so routine could feel so intense when someone else was doing it. 

“You’re just saying that because you want me out of your bed.”

“I like sharing my bed with you, and I like you living with me, but I want you to be happy, Rem. Moping around the apartment all day isn’t making you happy, and both Zoph and I are worried about you.”

“She’s just worried about what she’ll tell her parents when she goes home for the Harvest.” Zak pinched the skin under Remiel’s wing. “Ow! What was that for?”

“Zoph loves you. Don’t diminish her feelings just because you’re upset. She has a right to be worried about talking to her parents this Harvest, because if they refuse to accept how she feels about us, she has to make the choice between us or them.” Zak resumed preening Remiel’s wing. “If you have any doubt over who she’ll choose, you really haven’t been paying attention.” 

Remiel was quiet. He did know who Sophie would choose. She recently announced their triad to her coworkers at the hospital. The few that criticized her, she turned on like wildfire. By the time Zak started his shift, no one was brave enough to say anything to him other than, “Good luck.” There hadn’t been any problems since. When Sophie made up her mind about something, there wasn’t any stopping her.

“I’m sorry,” Remiel murmured after a few minutes. “I know she’ll choose us.”

“You’re damn right she will.” Zak quietly added, “I just hope they don’t make her choose.” Remiel nodded. They finished preening his feathers without another word. 

When they were done, Remiel stood up and stretched his wings. He beat at the air, feeling a thousand times better. He hadn’t realized how far he let himself go. He ran his hands through his wet hair, then slowly fanned himself to get it to dry with his natural curl. 

Zak smiled up at him from the floor. “There’s my Rem.” 

“What?” Remiel faced him.

“You’re not you unless you’re worried about your hair.”

“I’m not worried about my hair.” Remiel lowered his hands. “I’m not vain.”

“Uh huh.”

“I’m _not_ , Zak.” 

“Then you’ll walk downstairs and have tea in the tavern with me dressed like that.”

Remiel’s wings missed a beat, but he quickly resumed fanning himself. “Y-Yeah. Sure. I can do that. It’s just clothes. It’s not like it’s hard.”

“Even without your wrist wrapped?”

Remiel reflexively hid the manacle around his wrist. He hated that stupid thing, but covering it had nothing to do with fashion. It was so he didn’t look like a criminal everywhere he went.

Zak sighed. “Go get changed, Rem. I’ll wait for you.”

“It’ll only take a second.” Remiel ran into the bedroom and picked out a new outfit from the box of his belongings in the corner. Zak had offered to let him hang his clothes up, but Remiel just couldn’t bring himself to do it. He was living with Zak, but it didn’t feel real yet. It wouldn’t, as long as he kept everything he owned in that box.

Remiel quickly changed. He almost lamented taking off Zak’s baggy clothes, but he couldn’t imagine going outside dressed like that. They were pajamas, at best. He wrapped his wrist with a scarf to hide the manacle, then he checked his reflection. Except for the bags under his eyes, he nearly looked like himself. He scrunched his hair to help the curl take shape, then walked out to Zak.

“Ready.”

Zak stood. He walked over, put his hands on Remiel’s hips, and pulled him close. “You look wonderful. And you smell good enough to eat.” He kissed the edge of Remiel’s jaw, then nibbled along his neck. 

Remiel laughed and leaned away from him. “Zak. Did you want me dressed so we could go out or not?”

“Can’t I want both? To dress you up so I can undress you later?” He opened his mouth wide and pressed it over the pulse in Remiel’s neck, just enough that Remiel could feel his teeth against his skin. 

“Zak…” Remiel moaned breathlessly. “Not fair.” Arousal shot through him, making his knees feel weak. He might have fallen if his boyfriend hadn’t been supporting him. 

Zak chuckled and kissed Remiel’s throat lightly. He pulled back and grinned at him. “Let’s go eat lunch.”

Remiel groaned. “Zak, you can’t do that to me and expect me to be able to walk around.” 

“Think of it as a promise for things to come.” Zak took Remiel’s hands and pulled him toward the door. “But first, I want to feed you, so don’t complain.”

“Fine,” Remiel sighed, and followed his boyfriend downstairs.

***

They had lunch in the tavern, even though Zak offered to take Remiel anywhere he wanted in the city. It probably would have been nice to walk around, but there were just too many people. Remiel knew he was being irrational, but he still felt like everyone knew how much he had messed up. Their eyes were always judging him.

But as Zak fed him more food, Remiel started to feel a little better. There wasn’t a band playing that early during the day, so it was easy to talk. They discussed the food and the weather. Nothing important. It was easy to pretend everything was okay while out with Zak.

They were nearly halfway through their meal when the doorway darkened. Remiel looked up, and his stomach sank with dread. City guards had entered, but they weren’t there to eat or drink. They blocked the exit and scanned the room until their eyes locking on Remiel. 

Everything in the tavern went silent, except Remiel, who whispered, “Fuck.” 

Zak stood, jaw clenched, putting himself between Remiel and the guards. It was a stupid gesture, one that was going to get him hurt. Except the guards didn’t approach. They glared at Zak, but remained where they were. They only parted when General Laeshiel walked between them.

“Fuck,” Remiel repeated, angry and afraid. He stood by Zak, touching his arm to keep him from doing anything rash. 

“Cousin, that’s not the greeting I expect from a descendant of Abbadon,” said Laeshiel as he stopped before them. 

“I’ve been disowned, Laesh.”

“Says who?” the General motioned to the table. “Sit. I’ve come to talk.” 

“I don’t want to talk to you,” Remiel said.

“My apologies if it sounded like I was giving you a choice.” 

Remiel lowered his gaze. He pulled Zak with him, away from his cousin, and sat at the table. Laeshiel’s pink eyes focused on Remiel a moment more, as if searching for any sign of disobedience. There was none. Remiel and Zak sat there quietly until the General snapped his wings back and joined them at the table. 

“Do you mind?” Laeshiel motioned to the platter of spiced nuts and vegetables on the table. “I just flew back this morning and haven’t had a chance to eat.” He didn’t wait for permission before he grabbed a handful of food and popped it into his mouth.

“Why are you here?” Remiel asked him. 

Laeshiel took his time chewing. After he swallowed, he said, “I spoke with Abbadon, on your behalf.”

“Why? I’ve been disowned. I’m nothing to him anymore.”

“Don’t be dramatic.” Laeshiel ate another nut. “You haven’t been disowned. Your grandfather’s request was denied.”

“What?” 

Laeshiel rolled his pink eyes. “Just because some drunk Ahnnak says you can’t come home doesn’t mean you’re not part of the family. There’s an approval process, and I made the effort to speak for you.”

“Why would you do that?”

“We’re family, Remiel. You belong with us.” He ate another bite. “Besides, disowning you would draw unwelcome attention on Abbadon’s line. For it to happen twice in as many generations?” Laeshiel clicked his tongue. “It leads to concerns about breeding, which is especially difficult for your siblings.”

“They didn’t have any part of this,” Remiel protested.

“I am aware. That’s why I dissuaded Abbadon from disowning you, provided you pledge loyalty to him directly and then serve under my command for the next millennia.”

“What?!”

“We leave now.”

A thousand years, trapped with Laeshiel, obeying whatever commands he was given… It was impossible. Remiel couldn’t do it. “I’m not going anywhere with you,” he declared. He clasped Zak’s hand beneath the table. 

“Remiel, do not act like an immature brat. I have given you a path to redemption.”

“It’s servitude. I won’t go.”

Laeshiel’s pink eyes shifted to Zak. “Is it because of him? That’s a problem I can solve.”

“Don’t you dare touch him, Laesh.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it. E’din needs its healers, after all.” The smile on Laeshiel’s face was not pleasant. 

“Rem isn’t going anywhere he doesn’t want to,” Zak said firmly. He squeezed Remiel’s hand. “If you try to make him, I’ll stop you.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Laeshiel replied coldly.

Zak sneered. “Face me without binding my power, and we’ll see how cocky you are when I stop your heart.”

“You’d have to touch me first, _medic_.” 

“Stop it!” Remiel snapped at Laeshiel. “Threatening my boyfriend won’t change my mind. I’m not going with you.”

“You are, and that’s final.” 

“I would rather be disowned.” 

Laeshiel’s pink eyes narrowed. “How’s your wrist?”

The shift in conversation was too abrupt. “W-What?” Remiel stammered.

“Your wrist, cousin. It is not unheard of for the weight of a manacle to cause bruising and irritation in the area its locked, especially among insolent delinquents who refuse to accept the futility of resisting its binding.”

Remiel released Zak’s hand and covered the scarf-wrapped manacle beneath the table. His skin was bruised and irritated beneath it, but he didn’t want Laeshiel to see. “It’s fine,” he lied.

“I can remove it right now,” Laeshiel said, lowering his voice and leaning forward.

“Y-You can?”

“If you come with me.”

“Laesh-”

“I’m not going to have you meet our Isten with your power suppressed. It would be disrespectful.”

“I’m not meeting him at all!” Remiel exclaimed. “Fiends! Why do none of you ever listen to me?”

“Because you act like a spoiled child.” Laeshiel scoffed and sat back. “Are you seriously suggesting that you would rather stay here, bound and powerless, than to pledge yourself to your Isten?”

“I’m saying I want to make my own choices with my life.”

“And look where that’s gotten you so far.” 

Remiel lowered his eyes, because Laeshiel was right. That didn’t mean Remiel was going to accept it. “I won’t go with you.”

Laeshiel stood. “Then I won’t force you. I still have business within Marut, so I can reasonably delay until the end of the Harvest. Maybe by then, you will have come to your senses.” 

“And if I don’t?” 

“I hold your key, Remiel. It’s not a hard choice.” Laeshiel picked up one more handful of food from the platter. He dropped a gold coin on the table. “My treat, boys. Thanks for sharing your meal.” He started to walk away, but he paused before he reached the guards blocking the door. He turned, focused on Zak. “If you really cared for my cousin, you would help him understand that this is the best choice for his future.”

“Rem makes his own choices,” Zak replied.

Laeshiel chuckled. “We’ll see.” He touched a fist to his chest and bowed slightly. In another moment, General Laeshiel and the city guards were gone. The sun shone through the doorway again.

“Is it possible to dislike him more now then when he had us imprisoned?” Zak asked with a frown.

“It gets worse the more you get to know him.” Remiel rubbed his eyes. “Can we go?” The tavern wasn’t busy, but the few customers there were staring at them. Even the bartender watched with curiosity while he continued cleaning the same spot on the counter.

“I’ll pay the tab.” Zak picked up the gold coin and went to the bar. While he was gone, Remiel pressed his palms against his eyes until he saw flashes and sparks. It had been a mistake to get out of bed this morning. Afternoon. Whenever it was. 

Then again, if Zak hadn’t forced him to get cleaned up, Laeshiel would have barged into the apartment and berated him while he was still in bed. That would have been humiliating. 

Zak returned and touched Remiel’s arm. “Ready?”

Remiel nodded. They left, returning to the apartment, and when Remiel asked to take a nap alone, Zak didn’t stop him.

***

Remiel woke when Sophie came home. She had classes at Archridge tomorrow morning, so she wouldn’t be staying the night, but she wanted to check on them. Remiel listened to Zak explain what happened in the tavern. It didn’t sound any better the second time around.

While Sophie and Zak talked in the other room, Remiel lay in bed, staring at the manacle around his wrist. He snapped, feeling the pain bite into his skin through the scarf. The glyphs glowed blue beneath the fabric. It was pointless to resist it, he knew, but he couldn’t stand being so helpless.

The end of Harvest seemed like an eternity away. He had hoped Laeshiel would release him from his punishment without comment, but he shouldn’t have been so optimistic. Honestly, it was a wonder his cousin didn’t find him and haul him off immediately after he was expelled. Maybe Laeshiel was just too busy and important to deal with unclaimed degenerates like him right away.

Remiel snapped again, attempting to conjure fire. Nothing happened, except the metal warmed and sharp pain stung his skin. 

Another month of powerless imprisonment. And Laeshiel’s threat… _I hold your key_. If Remiel refused to obey him, chances were, he’d remain locked in this damn manacle until he went groveling to him.

Or cut off his own arm. 

Even then, he wasn’t sure if he would be released from the restraints of the manacle. What was to stop a manacle bound to his energy from siphoning his life from him as he bled out on the floor? What if it prevented him from ever healing?

It was a risk, one Remiel wasn’t desperate enough to take.

Yet.

Sophie slipping into the room. “Remi? Love? Are you awake.”

“No.”

She sat on the bed beside him and rubbed his spine between his limp wings. “Zak told me what happened. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Sophie. I just need sleep.”

“I don’t think sleep is helping. You’re going to have to deal with this eventually.”

“Not if I’m dead.”

“You know you don’t get to die before me.” She lifted his wing and lay down beside him. She let his wing lay heavily over the top of her while she pressed herself against his side. “You know I’m strong enough to keep you alive through just about anything.”

“Even if my head gets cut off?” He touched his nose to hers.

“I’ve reattached legs before. It can’t be too different. Plus, it’s not like you’re really using your brain anyway.” She wrinkled her nose and made a face at him. 

Remiel laughed. He rolled onto his side and pulled her close to him. “I’m going to miss you.”

“You’re not getting rid of me yet.”

“You two get morbid when you’re sad,” Zak said from the doorway. “I’d prefer not to hear any talk of either of you dying for a very long time.”

Sophie peeked over Remiel’s wing to Zak. “Don’t worry. No one is going anywhere.”

“But Zoph-”

“Remi is ours, Zak.”

Remiel sat up and folded his wings against his back. He looked to his boyfriend. “You think I should go with him?”

Zak approached the bed and sat beside Remiel. “I don’t want you going anywhere, but maybe he has a point. If you have a chance to be with your Isten, maybe it is best for you.”

“It’s not,” said Sophie, sitting up. She draped herself over Remiel’s back and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Remi belongs with us. I don’t care who he’s descended from.” 

“I don’t want to lose him either, Zoph, but they’re his family.”

“Family isn’t always right,” Sophie said sharply.

“That’s not what I’m talking about. You and I, we’re only going to be around another four hundred years, tops. Are we asking Remiel to give up his entire future for a few centuries with us?”

Sophie squeezed Remiel tighter. “They don’t care about him like we do. He’s just a tool to them. If his Isten didn’t try to protect him before now, why should I trust that any of them will be better in the future?”

Remiel touched Sophie’s arm and extracted himself from her grasp. He stood, turning to face his girlfriend and boyfriend. “This is something I have to decide for myself,” he told them. “What Laesh is asking me- meeting Abbadon, serving under him, all of it- means leaving you both. A thousand years. I’ll never see you again. I don’t think I can do it.” He held up his manacled wrist. “But if I stay, Laesh is going to leave this on. I will be bound and powerless until he feels like I’ve learned my lesson. He may never be satisfied, especially if our Isten takes offense at my refusal. If I’m disowned, truly rejected by Abbadon, I may spend the rest of my life trapped in this thing.”

Sophie and Zak stared up at him. Remiel knew what they both wanted him to choose. “We can find a way to take it off,” Sophie suggested.

“Zoph, we can’t ask Rem to make that choice.”

“I need time to figure this out,” Remiel said. “Please. I love you both, but I cannot allow you to decide for me.”

Zak sighed heavily. “I know, Rem.” He held out his arms. “Come here. You know I’ll support whatever you choose.” Remiel went to his open arms and let the older Terran pull him onto his lap.

“Me, too,” said Sophie. She crawled over to them and took Remiel’s face in her hands. “As long as you make the right choice.”

“I’m too dumb to make good choices all the time,” he told her.

“Dumb and pretty,” she replied, then pressed her mouth to his.

Remiel had missed this. While Sophie kissed him, Zak’s hands found their way under his shirt and tugged at his pierced nipples. Remiel whimpered against Sophie’s mouth, which just made her kiss him harder.

_Fiends, he needed this_. He needed them. Their hands and mouths touched him, clearing away the fog of dismay that had shrouded his mind constantly over the last month. When he was with them, he felt whole.

As he fell onto the bed beneath the weight of his two lovers, Remiel knew he could never leave them, even if that meant abandoning everything else in his life.


	20. Alex: 27th Degree of Predators, 596 DE

Alex tried to be good. He really did. He made it a whole month without getting in any trouble. His brother would have been proud, if they ever spoke again. Alex understood Gabriel was busy with important things. He also understood he wasn’t one of them. 

For most of the month of Predators, Alex behaved as he was supposed to. He ignored Uzzi and Isa’s attempts to get him to leave their room after curfew. He went to all his classes on time. He even completed his classwork without Remiel’s help. He was good. He didn’t let anyone see him cry.

But he missed Remiel a lot. He wanted to visit him in Marut, but he wasn’t allowed to leave the academy. He exchanged letters with Remiel through Sophie, but it wasn’t the same. He wanted to see him again, but he knew Gabriel would yell at him if he went to Marut without permission.

For a little while, Alex thought he could handle it. But then last break before the Harvest came, and all his friends went home. He was alone. Isa left first, complaining the entire time he packed, then Uzzi left with Sophie. They were probably only going to be gone a week or two, but that felt like forever, especially when night fell.

Alex couldn’t remember ever being alone in that room at night. He missed the sounds of his friends sleeping, even when Uzzi snored.

The decision to sneak out wasn’t really a conscious one. If he had thought about it, he wouldn’t have done it. Risking Gabriel’s wrath wasn’t worth it, no matter how lonely he was. But Alex didn’t think. He just slipped out of bed, changed into his dark blue clothes, and crept out into the halls.

Uzzi and Isa talked about sneaking out often enough that Alex knew the routine of the guards patrolling the academy. He kept to the shadows, leaving his hair over his white wings until he needed them to fly. No one saw him, even as he darted out of the fissure and flew over the lower valley. 

Alex knew that he could have gone to Marut, but the chances of being caught there were too high. He really didn’t want Gabriel to yell at him again. Besides, Remiel might not even be at Zak’s. He could have flown home with Sophie for the month. Maybe they all did. Alex didn’t want to visit their empty apartment again. He still felt guilty about breaking Zak’s door the last time.

The forest, however, was different. No one would see Alex there, especially not at night, and no one would report Alex’s disobedience back to Gabriel. It was a better choice, especially because Lorcas had shown him the safest way to the zvikwabo’s cave.

Alex landed beneath the golden leaves of the zvik’s tree. As he folded his wings, he looked around the peaceful clearing. It was pretty here, even lit only with starlight. The moon would not rise until just before dawn, and it would only be the barest sliver against the night sky. Alex didn’t need the extra light to see in the dark, so it didn’t bother him.

“Hello?” Alex called. “Bo?” He walked around the trunk of the tree. “Are you home?”

“I will never be home,” came the hissed words. Alex looked up. The zvik was there in the branches of the tree, devouring some pour beast that failed to escape it. 

“Hi,” Alex said. He stepped back so none of the fiend’s meal dripped on him. “What do you mean you’ll never be home?”

“There will be no pathsss that-t-t lead me there.” Bones easily snapped between jaws designed to lock together and not let go. 

“Is that why you stay?”

“You are why I stay.” 

“Me?” Alex watched the zvik finish its meal and drop the remaining carcass to the ground. _Huh. So that was where all the bones came from._

The zvik skittered on all fours down the white tree trunk and through the grass to Alex. It stood up before him. “I will t-t-teach you. That is why you return.”

“I was just lonely,” Alex said. “I thought you might be, too.”

“Lonely?” the zvik repeated. “Lonelinessss is a infinite number of futuresss without the facesss of your brood. You will know nothing of loneliness.”

“Brood? You have children?” asked Alex.

“Broodsss. My eggsss forge strong warriorsss.”

Alex tugged at the hem of his shirt. “Um, is it rude of me to ask if you’re a boy or a girl? Lorcas called you ‘he’ but…”

The zvik’s teeth clicked together in disgust. “I will lay eggsss for a strong warrior. I seed eggsss for a strong seer. We are better as one.”

“So you’re both?” The zvik didn’t answer him. It moved away, walking around the other side of the tree. Alex worried he had offended it. He ran up to its side and followed with it across the clearing. “Well, do you mind if I call you Bo?”

“It-t-t will be acceptable,” Bo said. “We will begin your lessonsss.”

“Now?”

“T-T-Time is meaningless for beingsss like you. Now is alwaysss the beginning.”

They stopped in a patch of starlight. “So… you’re really going to teach me how to see the future?”

“No.” The zvik sat with a grunt. It folded its legs, placing its feet on its knees.

“Then what are we going to do?” Alex sat across from Bo and copied its posture. It was difficult to get his feet in the same position, but he was able to do it after a couple attempts. 

Bo stared at him with an expression that could have been amusement. “Why will you not fear me?”

“Should I?” Alex tilted his hips. There was a rock beneath him that wasn’t very comfortable. He dug it out of the dirt and tossed it aside. 

“You are of the sky. It-t-t pleases me to sssee you fall.”

Alex shrugged. “I guess I am a little afraid. You do have a lot of teeth.”

The zvik made a sound like laughter, its jaw clicking rapidly. “My t-t-teeth will not be your downfall.”

Alex plucked a blade of grass. His black eyes focused on it as he asked, “Can you really see the future? My future?”

“Glimpsesss that will drive me to ssstarvation. Falling takes t-t-time, and your kind has t-t-too much of it, all ssspread out in a line, back t-to back.” Bo waved its clawed hand in the air between them, creating ripples of images of its hand that weren’t yet real. “We have time, t-t-too, but we duck in and out of the yearsss. Use them all up.” It made a fist, matching one of the flickering images as the rest faded away. “Then we’re dead.”

“Dead?” Alex looked up.

“Yesss. It will come for me sssoon.”

“You’re dying?” 

The zvik made that laughing sound again. “I will be.”

Alex bit his lip. Understanding the emotions of the zvik was difficult. “You’re not scared?”

“Never.” Bo held its hand out again, palms up. “I will do my part-t-t for the Jinn and Zvikwambo. You will focusss like he show’d-d you.”

“But you said you weren’t going to teach me to see the future.”

Bo clicked its teeth together with a scolding cadence. “Do you have milk in your ears?”

Alex held his hand up. “Sorry.” He tried to repeat the patterns of energy Lorcas used, but nothing happened. He felt the black coils of energy within him pulse and swell, but they stayed locked in his body. That was a relief, at least, even if it meant Alex had no hope of ever seeing the future like Lorcas or the zvik.

“I can’t.” He sighed and lowered his hands. The black shadow of his hands followed, flickering even without the dance of firelight. “Wait.”

The zvik nodded. “You will learn fast-t-t.”

“You mean I did it?”

“No.”

“Oh.” Alex pouted. For a second, he actually thought he had done something right.

“Your kind isss forged like a blade. Poisonsss and pain corrupt-t-t your light, makesss it toxic for usss. It is not-t-t your doing,” the zvik said. “You sssmell of servitude.”

Alex lowered his gaze and squeezed his wings against his back. “Still?”

“It will fade with t-t-time.” The zvik stood. “Practice again.”

Even though it was pointless, Alex raised his hands and did it again. He saw the shadow around his fingers, darker than the shadows cast by the starlight. When he moved his hand, it followed, a hazy image of where his hand had been a split second ago. “I’m not seeing the future,” he realized. “It’s the past.”

Bo’s white eyes shimmered. “You are broken. Reversed.” It hissed sharply through its teeth with something that sounded like excitement.

“I know I’m broken.” Alex sighed and lowered his hands. He flopped back in the grass, staring up at ring of stars around the golden leaves of the white tree. “I can’t do anything right.” 

Images of the zvik entered his view. Most of them stood over him, but a couple fell on him with their maw stretched wide. One of the images raked at his eyes with its claws. Alex didn’t flinch at any of them. He just stared past them to the stars and waited for the zvik’s actual body to approach.

Bo stood at Alex’s side, looking down at him calmly. “Descendantsss of the sky break, but-t-t unlike those born on the dirt-t-t, they put themselves back t-t-together as they fall. You sssurvive, because that is what-t-t your kind doesss.”

Alex’s eyes shifted from the starlight to the face of the zvik. “What if I don’t know what my kind even is? If I’m Terran or Ahnnak.”

“You will know, when you are ssstronger. Until then, you will practice.”

“Why? What’s the point of seeing what already happened? You can’t change the past.”

“Practice,” the zvik insisted. It walked away, going back to its tree, where it swiftly scaled the white trunk and sat among the branches. 

With a sigh, Alex sat up and tried again. The shadows of his energy lingered where he had been, following along with the movements of his fingers like ripples in a pond. He kept trying to make his energy work the way it was supposed to, but it just made his head hurt. Always backward, never forward. The more he fought, the worse it hurt.

“You fight-t-t what you are,” Bo chittered from the tree. “Relax. Count the stars.”

“The stars?” Alex looked up.

“It-t-t is how we find our place in time. Though maybe you should count-t-t the blacknessss between.”

“You can’t count the void. That’s impossible.”

“Yesss, and so are you,” the creature hissed. “Again.”

Alex looked up at the stars as he let his energy flow in the zvik’s patterns again. It didn’t hurt if he didn’t fight it. It was actually soothing, in a way. The jagged angles of his energy didn’t rip at his chest as he called forth its power. It flowed through him smoothly, without sparking, without fear. 

Peaceful.

Alex closed his black eyes and let his energy fall backward, sinking away from him in patterns of where he used to be. The shadows surrounded him, moving up his arms, over his shoulders, enveloping his chest and wings. The shadows vibrated with every beat of his heart, and it felt good.

“That-t-t will be enough for tonight-t-t,” the zvik called from the tree, breaking through Alex’s concentration. “You will practice again t-t-tomorrow.”

The shadows around him dissipated. “Tomorrow?”

“I will t-t-tire in the coming light-t-t.” 

Alex looked at the stars and saw they were fading. Dawn approached. He jumped to his feet. “It’s morning?!” He had lost hours of time sitting there.

“It is as easy to get t-t-trapped in the past as it is to get lost-t-t in the future.” The zvik yawned, its mouth stretching like a fanged abyss. Its jaw snapped shut with a loud click, then it lazily crawled down the trunk of the tree. “Tomorrow, you will continue.”

“Goodnight, Bo,” Alex said as it waddled toward its cave. Flickering images of the zvik responded, waving or turning to speak, but the fiend only entered the hollow and disappeared from sight.

Alex flew from the clearing, already thinking of coming back tomorrow. That was, if he didn’t get caught sneaking back into the academy this morning. As long as he stayed to the shadows, he should be fine.


	21. Gabriel: 7th Degree of Harvest, 596 DE

Sera’s thighs pressed to each side of Gabriel’s head as he used his mouth to make her writhe with pleasure. Lorcas clenched a fistful his silver hair, holding Gabriel’s head his girlfriend’s crotch, not caring at all if he could breath. The Huntsman rammed into Gabriel again from behind, the pain and lack of air making it difficult for Gabriel to think of anything but the abuse being inflicted on his body. 

It was what he asked for. 

What he deserved.

Before either of them came, Gabriel passed out. He woke gasping, laying on his back on the bed, the taste of Sera on his tongue and Lorcas’ semen seeping from his ass. He felt filthy.

Sera stroked his silver hair back from his face. “Are you okay? Was that too rough?”

“I’m fine,” Gabriel rasped. “Water?”

“Get it yourself,” Lorcas snapped. He was already getting dressed.

“Lorcas!” 

“Don’t, Sera. Not today. I’m not in the mood.” Lorcas tied a weapons belt around his waist. “If the Prince wanted special treatment, he would fuck one of his fanatics.”

“You’re being an ass,” Sera said. 

“I’m going to practice.” Lorcas stomped over to the door and slammed it shut.

Sera looked down at Gabriel with caring lavender eyes. “I’ll get you a drink.” She climbed off the bed and poured a cup of water from the ewer on the table. She brought it back over and helped him sit up to drink. “You sure you’re okay?”

The water was cool and soothing. “He’s in a mood today,” he muttered between sips.

“There’s a Hunt tomorrow… He’s upset that some of the team left for the Harvest and won’t be there for the game.”

Gabriel scoffed. “You mean he’s pissed Barach went home with Erem, so he’s taking it out on me.”

“You are their friend,” Sera said. Gabriel glared at her and she held up her hands. “I’m not saying its right. It’s probably not even all about you. Sometimes Lorcas gets this way right before a match.” She gave him a soft smile. “I’m sure he’ll make it up to you after he wins.”

“Is that what he does to you? Is that why you’re always hiding bruises?”

Sera reached out and touched the marks Lorcas left around Gabriel’s neck. “You know he’s not always like this.”

“Why do you stay?”

“I love him.”

“That’s not good enough.”

“It isn’t?” Sera looked thoughtful for a moment. “Well, then it’s because I like his dick.” 

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “You’re hopeless.”

“Oh, you like it, too,” Sera teased.

“Stop.” 

“You let him be rougher with you than I do. You enjoy being so stuffed full you can’t even think-” Sera yelped as Gabriel grabbed her by her hips and sat her in his lap. 

“You know I haven’t come yet.”

Sera wiggled against him teasingly. “So?”

“Maybe I’ll fuck you and make you forget all about Lorcas’ dick.”

Sera chuckled. “You’re not _that_ good, baby boy.”

“We’ll see.” Gabriel wrestled her to the bed, making her laugh. He grabbed some of the balm from the bedside table, but rather than use it right away, he lowered his face between her legs again. 

“Not there,” Sera moaned. “I’m too sensitive still. I just came.”

Gabriel licked her once more, just to see her body shudder, then he pressed his mouth against her opening and thrust his tongue in.

“Oh, fiends take me,” Sera moaned. “Your tongue is to die for…”

Gabriel pulled back enough to ask, “Better than Lorcas?”

“Tongue, maybe.” Sera grinned down at him mischievously. “Cock? No way.” 

Gabriel thrust his tongue back into her to wipe that look off her face. Her head dropped back with a blissful moan. When she was breathless and slick, Gabriel used the balm and inserted two fingers into her. She accepted him easily. Her body was hot and tight, ready for him. He got into position and sank into her with one thrust.

Sera’s back arched and her wings stretched out beneath her like they would lift her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and held him still. “Fiends, Gabriel, not so fast.”

“Did I hurt you?” he asked with genuine concern.

“No, no,” she said breathlessly. “It’s just a little overwhelming. Give me a moment.”

It was hard to remain still in the tight confines of her body, but Gabriel waited until Sera gave him permission to move. When she nodded, he started slow, watching her face for any sign of discomfort. He didn’t like hurting her. She was so much prettier when her cheeks flushed with pleasure, when her soft lips formed a breathless ‘oh’. 

Gabriel lifted Sera and pulled her onto his lap, letting her weight impale her entirely. She wrapped her arms around his neck and moaned. 

“You’re beautiful, you know that?” he whispered, kissing her neck while he gently lifted and lowered her body on his shaft. “Too beautiful for him.”

“Your sweet words are tainted with jealousy, Gabriel,” Sera replied with breathless gasps. 

“Jealousy? That he has you and I don’t?” He pressed up into her while he held her down on his width. “I’m the one who has you right now.”

“I’ll remind you I’m not yours, no matter how sweet your tongue is.” Sera smiled and pinched his cheek. Gabriel lessened his hold. She began to rock her hips and ride him. “Besides, it’s not him you’re jealous of.”

“Then who?”

“Me, of course. Lorcas will always be mine.”

“You can have the bastard.” Gabriel kissed her jawline. “He’s nothing but a diversion for me. Something to pass the time.”

“Is that why you can’t get him out of your head?” she asked, curling her fingers into his silver hair. “Is that why you’re hoping, even now, that he comes back and sees you inside me?” She leaned in and licked his ear before whispering, “You want him to make you crawl and beg to have your ass beat again. You want him in control, Gabriel, and you want him to use you.”

Sera’s words shot through Gabriel, straight to his groin. He would have orgasmed then, but he lifted her off him and left his cock twitching in the air, unable to get that last bit of friction to push him over the edge. “Sera.” He said her name like a warning.

She gave him a playful smile. “What? I’m just teasing, Gabriel. I thought you were going to make me forget all about Lorcas’ dick.”

“That’s really hard to do when you won’t shut up about him.”

Her grin turned lascivious. “Make me.”

Gabriel growled and flipped her onto the bed. He wasn’t as gentle when he plunged back into her, and it was a while before either of them mentioned Lorcas again.

***

They lay in Lorcas’ bed after, covered by a light sheet. Sera’s long fingers lightly played with Gabriel’s silver hair. “You should come with us tomorrow,” she said.

“To a Hunt? I’ll pass.”

“It’s the last game before the championship. Even without Barach there, the team won’t lose.”

“I need to stay at the academy.”

“Why?” 

It was the same question Erem had asked before he and Barach left. Erem couldn’t understand why Gabriel wouldn’t spend the Harvest at the ocean with them. Barach had been silent through the whole argument. He didn’t want to go either, but the last time he refused, Erem nearly broke up with him.

Gabriel needed to remain at Archridge. For Alex.

“I can’t go,” he said. “I have responsibilities here.” 

“It’s one day during the Harvest. There aren’t even any classes next week to worry about.”

“We still have coursework to complete.”

Sera laughed. “A few simple reading assignments. They won’t take more than a day to finish.”

“I can’t, Sera.”

“Give me one good reason why.”

Gabriel’s mind raced through a dozen possible answers. “It’s… It’s because I have to ask permission.”

“From who?”

“My father.”

Sera’s mouth quirked. “Your father?”

“I’m an heir, Sera. There’s not much I’m allowed to do without his permission.” 

She frowned. “You can’t even go to a Hunt? It’s an academy trip. We all fly up together.”

Gabriel shook his head. “I can’t. Even if he was speaking to me, I doubt he would let me go. Tomorrow’s game is six leagues from the northern border.”

Sera was quiet for a little while. She absentmindedly twisted Gabriel’s silver hair between her fingers. “Can I ask what happened?”

“Hm?”

“Why he’s not speaking to you.”

“Oh.” He hesitated a moment. “It, um… It turns out I’m not the son my father expected me to be. I disappoint him.”

His words resonated with Sera the way he knew they would. “There’s nothing disappointing about you, Gabriel.” Her voice was filled with the heartache of her own struggle to gain her father’s acceptance. She squeezed Gabriel’s head against her chest. “You’re perfect as you are, and he’s stupid if he doesn’t see it.”

“Yeah,” Gabriel said, closing his eyes. “Maybe.”

They lay together in silence for a while, long enough that Gabriel began to drift off. He knew he should go back to his room before it got too late, but he was comfortable here.

“Gabriel?”

“Hm?” He didn’t open his eyes. 

“Maybe you can celebrate with us when we get back.”

Gabriel nodded. “I’d like that.” 

They rested together for the rest of the afternoon. It was quiet and calm, even though Gabriel felt a little guilty about lying to Sera.


	22. Remiel: 12th Degree of Harvest, 596 DE

The morning Alex showed up at the apartment, Remiel was in the kitchen trying to prepare a meal on the tiny metal stove, using flint and steel like a Homm. He had burned himself twice already, and the sun wasn’t even up yet. 

When the soft knock came at the door, Remiel wondered if he had forgotten and locked it after Zak left last night. During the Harvest, all Zak’s shifts were at night, and he came home every morning completely exhausted. Remiel expected to open the door and find his boyfriend propped against the wood, barely able to keep his eyes open. 

Instead, there was Alex, looking up at him with expressionless black eyes. 

“Hi, Remi.”

“Alex? Come in. What are you doing in Marut? You shouldn’t even be out of the academy.”

“It’s still dark enough,” Alex said. He entered the apartment, ducking under Remiel’s arm. “Nobody knows I’m gone. I didn’t know if you would be here. Is it okay if I stay?”

“I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

“No one will miss me.”

“I seriously doubt that.” Remiel checked outside for anyone else, but there was no one on the dark street. He closed the door. “Is everything okay, Alex?”

“Yes, Remi.” The boy raised his nose. “Is something burning?”

“Shit!” Remiel ran back over to the stove. He let the fire get too big, now all the rice was fused to the bottom of the pan. How did any Homm manage to feed themselves?

Remiel used a wooden spoon to scrape at the mess. “Sorry. I’m trying to learn how to cook so Zak doesn’t have to keep feeding me, but I keep messing it up. This fire is impossible to control.” He touched the hot metal pan, burning himself again. He flinched back before he felt the pain, but it reached him soon enough. “Damn it. Ugh. I hate this.”

“Can I help?” 

“No, I don’t want you getting hurt.” The last of the kindling burned out, but it hadn’t caught the log. “Oh, great. Now I have to start the damned fire again.” Remiel hated to serve Zak cold, burnt food for the fourth morning in a row, but that looked like what he was getting.

“Let me take care of it,” Alex said. He walked over and took the pan from Remiel. “Can you get more kindling?”

“It’s outside.” Remiel was uncertain about leaving Alex alone in the apartment, even for a moment. What if the little boy burned himself?

“Thank you.” Alex placed the pan on the cold half of the stove, then opened the front and crouched before it. He looked up at Remiel. “Sooner would be helpful, Remi.”

Remiel gave him one last uncertain look, then stepped out and gathered kindling from the community box for the complex. He brought it back inside, and Alex arranged the sticks in the stove. The boy broke one of the threads from his bracelet, snapped it, and dropped it in. The blaze caught and Alex closed the front of the stove. 

“Alex, you shouldn’t be using those,” Remiel said nervously. He couldn’t believe Alex still had the bracelet on.

“I’ve got a dozen threads left. I’ll be fine.” Alex held his hand over the stove top, sensing the heat, then adjusted the dampener to slow the burn. 

“That’s not what I mean. If anyone discovers you’re using that, you’ll be in a lot of trouble. Serious trouble. Like, sent back home, trouble.” 

Alex glanced over at him briefly. “I’m careful. Do you have any mushrooms?” He picked up the pan with burnt rice and scraped it into the wooden bowl on the counter. 

“Mushrooms? No, Alex-”

“Seasoning, too.” 

Remiel’s brow furrowed. He’d forgotten how frustratingly stubborn Alex could be sometimes. “You can cook, now, huh?”

“Better than you, I bet.” The boy flinched, like his words surprised him. “Sorry. That was something Uzzi would have said. I didn’t mean it. I just miss him.”

Remiel sighed. “Yeah, I miss Sophie, too. I thought they’d be back by now.” He went over to a box of sundries Zak picked up at the grocer’s last week. “I guess we do have mushrooms. They’re dried, though.”

“That’s fine.” Alex took the cloth bag from Remiel and unthreaded the top. He sniffed the mushrooms, then sat them aside and reached for the pitcher of water. He poured it into the empty pan and placed it over the stove to boil. “Seasoning?”

“In the box.” Remiel stepped back and motioned Alex toward it. “You can use whatever you find, Alex.” The boy seemed to have a better handle on things than Remiel did at least.

“Thanks.” Alex rifled through the box until he found what he was looking for.

Remiel sat on the counter that divided the kitchen from the living room and watched Alex work. “You didn’t just come here to help me with breakfast.”

“No. Everyone is gone for the Harvest. I didn’t want to go back to the academy yet. It’s boring.”

“Go back? Where were you?”

“I mean, um, from here. To there. I just came here, because I missed you.”

Remiel frowned. “You know I’m not your tutor anymore. You can’t get in trouble with the academy if you tell me the truth. I’m not going to get angry.”

Alex added a couple handfuls of the dried mushrooms to the water. He pushed them down with the wooden spoon. “I was in the forest,” he said. 

“You were where?!” 

“You said you wouldn’t get angry!” Alex kept his back turned. He pulled his wings in tight.

Remiel forced himself to remain calm. His hands clenched the edge of the counter. “Alex, the forest is incredibly dangerous. You shouldn’t be anywhere near there.”

“Lorcas showed me where it’s safe.”

“The Huntsman?” Alex nodded. Remiel breathed out heavily. “He knows you’re going there?”

“He knows.”

“And he’s keeping you safe?” 

Alex shrugged. “I see him sometimes.”

“Alex-”

“I can’t stay at the academy all the time,” the boy insisted. He looked back over his shoulder. “Not without you. It’s too hard. I want you to come back.”

“Oh, Alex… I can’t. It’s not my choice.”

“I know.” Alex focused on the water again, moving the mushrooms around. He took pinches of various seasoning and added them to the pan.

“So…” Remiel swung his legs, bouncing them off the cupboard beneath him. “Where’d you learn to cook?”

“I’m just adding what smells good. It all tastes the same.”

“Well, you can’t do any worse than I’ve been doing. I can’t even keep the fire lit.”

“Why?”

“You, um, remember that bracelet I started wearing a while back?”

“The metal one you tried to hide?”

“Yeah. It’s not really a fashion statement. It’s a power dampener. It’s locked on.” 

“So unlock it.” The water came to a boil in the pan. Alex reduced the heat again, but kept stirring the mixture.

“I can’t. It isn’t a normal lock. It’s old Ahn tech, and I can’t get it removed without the key.” Alex looked back, eyebrows raised, but Remiel answered the question before he asked it. “My cousin has the key.”

“ _Cousin_.” Alex turned back toward the stove. “Why?”

“You know family…” That seemed to be a satisfactory answer for the boy.

“So what do you have to do to get it off?”

“Suffer.” Remiel sighed. “I don’t think he’s ever going to take it off.”

“That’s not fair.”

“You’re right. It’s not, but there’s not much I can do about it.”

“So cheat.” Alex came over with a little bit of the broth on the spoon. He held it up to Remiel’s mouth.

Remiel sipped it. “What do you mean ‘chea-’ Oh, that’s good Alex.” He licked his lips. “What do you mean ‘cheat?’”

“The world cheats. We do what we have to to survive.” 

“Who told you that?”

The light caught in Alex’s black eyes, making the colors shift and swirl. “It’s a secret.”

“You’re keeping secrets from me again?” 

“You’re not my tutor anymore. You can’t get in trouble for what I do.”

Remiel huffed. “I’m sure they’ll still find a way to blame me. You need to be careful, Alex. You don’t want to end up like me. Like this.” He held the manacle up before him. The metal wasn’t covered this morning. Remiel had already ignited one scarf while trying to cook. He wasn’t going to risk burning another.

“I am careful.” Alex pointed to the manacle with the wooden spoon. “So how does it work?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think anyone does. Ahn tech can’t be reproduced on Ter, and only the Isten know how to fix it.”

“So it can be broken.”

“Yeah, maybe after a few hundred years.” Remiel shook his wrist. “This isn’t going anywhere.”

“Can you show me what it does?”

“Sure.” Remiel snapped, sending a halfhearted surge of energy through the band. The glyphs glowed blue and pain nipped at his skin. 

Alex’s eyes widened. “Does it hurt?”

“Yeah, but I’m getting used to it. Sometimes I forget it’s there and try to do something simple, like start a damned fire. Then it hurts more.” 

“Your energy goes into the metal?”

“I guess.”

“Then it’s like firecord.”

Remiel smiled. “I’m sure it’s a little more complex than that.”

“Maybe.” Alex returned to the stove to stir the bubbling mushrooms. He picked up the bowl of burnt rice and added it to the pan, thickening the mixture. “If anyone can figure it out, you can.”

“Me?”

“It’s just another piece of jewelry, isn’t it?”

Remiel smiled. “I’ve missed you, Alex.”

“I miss you, too, Remi.” He gave him a small smile over his shoulder. “When does Zak come home?”

“Sunrise. Soon.”

“Do you have a lid?”

“Over there.” Remiel pointed.

Alex got the lid and covered the pan. He moved it back to a cooler part of the stove. “It’ll stay warm until he comes. Hopefully he likes it.”

“I’m sure he will. It already smells a hundred times better than anything I’ve served him.” Remiel patted the counter beside him. “Come sit. I want to hear about all the trouble you’ve been up to since I left.”

Alex hopped up on the counter beside Remiel. “I’ve tried to be good, but… Isa showed me how to blow spitballs in math class. I hit the instructor in the back of the neck. Uzzi took the blame.”

Remiel laughed and pulled Alex close. He ruffled his black hair. “You three are so much trouble.” He smiled down at the boy under his arm. “But I’m glad. You’ve got good friends.”

“I do,” Alex agreed with a small smile. 

They sat and talked about life at the academy until Zak stumbled in, well after dawn. He looked drained. Remiel slid off the counter and greeted him at the door with a kiss. 

“Welcome home.”

“Mmhm.” Zak pressed his forehead against Remiel’s, his eyes closed. “I like hearing you say that.” His hand slid down Remiel’s waist, curving around his hip to squeeze his butt. 

Remiel jumped and grabbed Zak’s wrist. “We have a guest,” he said quickly.

Zak opened his eyes and looked passed Remiel. “Alex?”

“Hi.” The little boy waved from the counter. 

Zak straightened and moved his hand up to a more appropriate position on Remiel’s back. “It’s good to see you, kid. Is everything okay?”

Alex nodded. Remiel said, “Alex was just saving your breakfast.”

“Oh?”

“He cooked.”

Zak smiled. “Well, nothing is on fire, so it can’t be much worse than yours, huh?”

Remiel pinched Zak’s arm. “I’m trying to learn.”

“You should just stick to being pretty.” Zak patted his butt playfully, then went into the kitchen. He lifted the lid from the pan and leaned in, inhaling deeply. “Oh. Wow. This actually smells really good.”

“Told you.” Remiel got three bowls from the cabinet. Zak divided the contents of the pan among them equally. He passed them out, keeping the last for himself. They went to the living room and sat. 

Alex and Remiel both waited for Zak to take the first bite. The Terran’s eyes widened. “Hey, Alex?” he said while he chewed.

“Yes?”

“You should come over more often.”

Alex grinned wide, genuinely happy. “Okay.” He and Remiel both ate. The food really was good.

***

When Zak went to sleep, he offered to let Alex lay down with him. To Remiel’s surprise, Alex accepted. The two of them sprawled across opposite sides of the bed, but they were both unconscious before Remiel finished cleaning the kitchen. 

Standing in the doorway, Remiel watched them both sleep with a soft smile on his lips. He hadn’t realized Alex was so tired when he showed up at the door. Then again, Zak was a lot more observant when it came to things like that. Alex must be having trouble sleeping again. Staying out in the forest all night couldn’t be good for him, either. Or safe, no matter what the Captain of the Hunt told him.

Remiel didn’t want to wake them. He went back into the living room. He sat amongst the pillows and pulled his assorted box of notions over. He sifted through the bits of fabric and twists of yarn. He didn’t really know what he was looking for. He didn’t have enough of anything to start a new project, not without buying more fabric. That seemed irresponsible, considering the current limits of his income. 

A metal pin pricked Remiel’s finger, drawing blood. He jerked back and sucked on the wound. The bleeding stopped quickly, but the pain lingered as a warning to be careful. 

He reached back into the box and extracted the pin. The long, sharp piece of metal was used to secure wraps at the hip. This one had broken, half the stones falling from the decorative design on the end. It was cheap and flashy, something Remiel bought for himself when he was a child. Or stole. He couldn’t remember which, but it seemed worth it at the time.

There was probably something he could use it for. It felt like a waste to throw it away. Maybe the stones could be secured to something else. They were pretty enough.

Remiel tried to hook a nail under to edge of the rocks to extract them, but they wouldn’t budge. The pin twanged, vibrating with each attempt. Remiel worried the sound would wake Alex and Zak. 

He leaned to the side to peer into the bedroom, but there was no sign of movement from either of them. 

Good. It might be best to save this as a project for later. 

Only…

Something about the vibration of the metal gave Remiel pause. He flicked it again, listening to the reverberation. The frequency was familiar. It was amplified, but it made Remiel tense, like he was waiting for a bite of pain into his wrist. 

He rubbed his fingers together and focused a low current of energy through his body. It was just enough to cause his skin to tingle and make the glyphs of the manacle glow. He held his arm before him, listening. The frequency was the same, though subtler. 

Remiel touched the tip of the pin to the manacle. The sound amplified. The stones in the pin visibly vibrated. 

“Huh. That’s strange,” he muttered. He wasn’t sure why it would react like that, but he lifted the pin and placed it down in a different spot. The same thing happened. He moved it across the surface of the manacle a few times, the effect remaining the same.

Then, he touched a point on the manacle where the vibration of the pin stopped. Remiel’s brow furrowed. He increased his energy, wondering if he had tapered it off, but the pain snapped into his wrist immediately. The pin still didn’t vibrate. 

It was like the manacle was hollow, just in that spot.

Remiel put the pin down. He shook out his hand, trying to chase away the feeling of the manacle’s bite across his skin. Sometimes it felt like being covered in chewing insects. Entirely unpleasant, no matter how low the voltage ran.

But a little pain wouldn’t discourage him. If there was one hollow point in the manacle, there could be others. It might not even mean anything, but if it did…

If it did, maybe, _maybe_ , Remiel wouldn’t have to accept Laeshiel’s offer to have a chance at freedom.


	23. Gabriel: 18th Degree of Harvest, 596 DE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One year ago, I signed up for an AO3 account and posted the chapter one of the First Prophecy - It was a big step for me. I didn't think anyone would enjoy my universe, and I'd always been hesitant to share it. 
> 
> Now, with over 500,000 words written in the series, I'm further along in the second rewrite than I ever thought I would be, and it's all thanks to the support and encouragement I've received on here.
> 
> So thank you, from the bottom of my black little heart. Here's to another year of questionable morality.

Gabriel leaned against the balcony, nervously watching the sky. This time of year, the academy was usually filled with excitement as students and staff prepared to welcome the Wild Hunt back as champions of the Summer Hunt. This year, there would be no celebration. Their team lost. 

It was a close game, but in the last moments, the victory had gone to Valley Forge, with two tags and the kill. By every report, Archridge had been poised to win, but the beast they tracked lashed out, severely injuring several of their Huntsmen. It rushed off, directly into the approaching pikes of Valley Forge, and then the Hunt was over. 

The results of the game didn’t matter to Gabriel. He could care less if Archridge won or lost. But he watched the sky, apprehensive, because the names of the injured had gone out with news of the other team’s victory.

_Mikkoniel._

_Huliel._

_Lorcasiel._

None of the injuries sustained were listed as life threatening, but Terran could survive significant damage before it became an issue. 

Gabriel tried to get his wings to fold flat, but they remained tense and open behind him as he scanned the horizon. He knew he was being stupid. Whatever happened to Lorcas was the Terran’s own fault. He probably deserved it. But Gabriel stayed and waited, even if it was a waste of his time.

Eventually, the call spread through the academy that the team was arriving. Gabriel saw the formation on the horizon, flying strong and proud, even after their defeat. They landed outside the enclave of the Hunt, greeted by dozens of their loyal fans, who cheered for them despite their loss. 

In a way, Gabriel wished he was over there too, but he watched from the other side of the academy. He caught a glimpse of Lorcas through the crowd, smiling benevolently to the team’s supporters before they went into the enclave.

Gabriel’s chest felt strange. Lorcas’ smile was a lie. Couldn’t they see how much pain he was in?

After the Hunt entered the enclave, the crowd slowly dispersed. There would be no feast tonight. The halls of the academy would be silent, save for the constant rush of the waterfall, which sounded far too loud on a day when music and revelry should drown it out.

A flash of white wings caught Gabriel’s eye. It was Sera, arrived back with the Hunt. She landed not far from him and started toward the Advanced Curriculum dorms. Her wings hung low on her back, like she barely had the strength to fold them.

“Sera!” Gabriel left his post at the balcony to run up to her.

“Oh, hi, Gabriel.” She gave him a soft smile, but it didn’t reach her lavender eyes.

“Are you okay?”

“Just tired. The flight back was long. We got hit by a cloud of desert dust in the upper atmosphere, and I’ve got it stuck in my feathers. I think I’ll feel better after a bath.” 

“Is… Is Lorcas okay?”

Sera glanced around the open hall, but they were alone. “He got hurt. The medics took care of his physical wounds, but…”

“But?”

“They lost, Gabriel. You know how much winning means to him.”

He did. It was stupid that a game like that could matter so much to anyone, but he understood. For Lorcas, it wasn’t just a game. It was his freedom. “It’s only a decade,” Gabriel reminded Sera.

She shook her head. Her brown and lavender curls swayed with the motion, still perfect even after half a day’s flight. “Don’t say that to him. In fact, maybe you shouldn’t talk to him at all.”

“Why?” 

“I’ve seen enough pain this weekend.” Sera sighed wearily. “I need to rest, Gabriel. There’s going to be a dinner tonight for the Hunt, even if it isn’t a victory celebration. You’ll be there, right? To support everyone?”

“Yeah,” Gabriel said solemnly. “I’ll be there.”

“Good.” She smiled at him and turned away, heading toward her room. Before she went around the corner, she looked back and waved. She really did look tired.

Gabriel returned to the balcony and leaned against the banister. He didn’t like the feelings slithering about in his stomach. _Pity. Remorse. Sympathy._ Any emotion besides hate for the Huntsman left him feeling confused and a little angry. He had other things to focus on. More important things than some asshole who tormented him constantly.

Yet, he continued to lean against the railing and watch the team exit the enclave after they finished storing their gear. He could hear their voices, if not their words. There was even laughter. For some of them, it really was just a game.

Lorcas emerged after nearly an hour. His hair was wet and slicked back from his face. He stopped in the hall and talked with the Ahnnak Cariel, his Vice-Captain. She patted his shoulder, then they parted ways. He stepped into the gap, dropping several levels before his wings caught him. He flew up at a lethargic pace, like every beat of his wings was too much effort. 

When Lorcas got closer, Gabriel could see the bruises. His suntanned skin had blue and green splotches all over, like he’d been crushed against something. One of his grey eyes was still bloodshot and surrounded by purple bruises. He saw Gabriel on the balcony, but his dour expression didn’t change. He landed in the closest archway and shook out his wings before folding them against his back. 

“What do you want, Prince?” He didn’t even look at Gabriel when he said it.

 _I was worried about you_ , Gabriel thought about saying, but the words seemed too hard. _I’m sorry_ also felt entirely inadequate. “What the fuck did you do to your face?” was the question Gabriel said aloud as he walked toward the Huntsman.

Lorcas’ lip twitched back with a sneer. “I don’t have the patience to put up with you today, Ahnnak.”

Gabriel glowered at him. He hated when Lorcas called him ‘Ahnnak’. The Huntsman only did it when he was really angry or trying to distance himself. “Oh, I’m sorry,” Gabriel snapped sarcastically. “Am I interrupting your plans to go cry by yourself in some corner?”

Lorcas spun on him, and Gabriel hastily retreated. He didn’t have far he could go, as the stone balcony was right behind him. He backed against one of the pillars, his wings open on each side of it. Lorcas slammed his fist against the stone above Gabriel’s head and leaned over him. He was breathing hard, fury radiating from him. 

“You never know when to keep your mouth shut.”

“Make me,” Gabriel said, and the words were barely out of his mouth before Lorcas kissed him. 

Had anyone been looking toward the Advanced Curriculum dorms, they would have been able to see the two boys. The risk of getting caught made Gabriel’s heart race as much as the crush of Lorcas’ mouth on his, but he didn’t try to escape him. Even when Lorcas’ fingers curled around his throat, Gabriel didn’t resist. 

Lorcas pulled back with a gasp. He pressed his forehead against Gabriel’s. “I fucking hate you.”

“You think hurting me is going to make you feel better?” Gabriel asked condescendingly. He felt a little light-headed, but he refused to be intimidated by this boy. 

“It might.” Lorcas’ grip tightened, and he forced Gabriel to raise his chin, bringing their lips within a breath of touching. “I should leave you in pieces for Barach to find when he gets back.”

Gabriel’s brow furrowed. He put a hand on the Huntsman’s chest, trying to push him back. “Is that all I am to you? A way to keep Barach in line?”

Lorcas leaned back so he could see Gabriel’s face clearly. “Did you ever think you were more?”

That stung more than it should have. “Oh, fuck you, Lorcas.” Gabriel tried to shove the Huntsman off him, but Lorcas slammed him back against the pillar. 

“After everything I’ve done for you, for him-”

“Done for us?! You’ve only ever served yourself.”

Lorcas’ grey eyes narrowed. “He killed a man for you, and I kept it hidden. All I asked was that he show up for a few Hunts. Now I’ve lost ten years of my life, ten years that I will never get back! You have no idea what it’s like to-”

“No idea?!” Gabriel’s voice cracked. “I have no idea what it’s like?! You may be stuck at an Isten’s side for a few decades, but I will belong to them forever. I can never escape.”

“Escape what? All the parties and power? The freedom to do whatever the fuck you want?” Lorcas’ lip curled back from his teeth in a snarl. “You’re a spoiled brat. You have no idea how hard it is for the rest of us.”

“And you’re a selfish prick who sold his freedom for a game. The only person you have to blame is yourself.”

Lorcas’ arm shook as he resisted the urge to crush Gabriel’s throat. He bared his teeth and said, “You’re just like them. You would have fit right in at the Hunt, Gabriel, watching from the lodge with the other Ahnnak and Isten, laughing while we nearly kill ourselves.”

“I would have liked seeing you get your ass kicked,” Gabriel snapped back. He shoved Lorcas again, but the Huntsman was solid. He didn’t move at all. “Get the fuck off me.”

“Or what? You going to scream? You going to cry for your daddy? Or are you afraid he’ll beat you for being such a cheap slut?”

With a flash of anger, Gabriel brought his fist up. His knuckles collided with Lorcas’ chin, much to both of their surprise.

The Huntsman released Gabriel and staggered back. He touched his mouth and came away with blood. “You little bastard.”

“Fuck you, Lorcas.” Gabriel rubbed his throat. He could feel where his skin would bruise. “You deserved to lose.”

Lorcas wiped his mouth on his arm. Blood still stained his lower lip as he glared at Gabriel. “That’s it.” His wings bristled. “I’ve have had enough of you.”

“What?” Gabriel tensed. He stepped to the side in case he needed to jump the balcony and escape.

“I am not here for your amusement,” Lorcas said with disgust, “and I want nothing more to do with you and your kind.”

Lorcas was serious. Gabriel could hear it in his voice. He felt an ache in his chest that made him feel kind of sick, but he lifted his chin and coldly replied, “Fine. Like I care about some worthless Terran. You were just a way to waste time.” 

“You speak to me again, Ahnnak, and I’m going to rip your wings off,” Lorcas hissed. He turned sharply and stomped off, his wings open stiffly behind him.

Gabriel watched him go for a second before he shouted. “Fiends take you, Huntsman! I hope you die!” He stood there, fists clenched and shaking, until Lorcas was out of sight. The Huntsman never looked back.


	24. Barachiel: 21st Degree of Harvest, 596 DE

Ten days before classes resumed, Barach, Erem, and Erem’s little sister Ar arrived back at Archridge Academy. Barach ruffled Ar’s blond, surf tousled curls while she clung to his leg. “I don’t want you to go, Bar,” she said, looking up at him with a sweeter expression than her brother ever had. 

“We can go again next year,” he promised her with a wink. She was tiny, barely taller than Barach’s hip, but even at six years old, she was built with the same lean muscle as her brother, earned from hours of swimming in the ocean.

The two blue-skinned siblings barely left the water all Harvest. Barach spent most of the holiday on the beach reading books borrowed from Lady Coriel, which was a surprisingly nice way to spend the holiday. He didn’t think the siblings were ever going to want to leave, but Barach was worried. He finally convinced Erem is was time to come back, even though he already knew it was too late.

“Let go of Barach’s leg,” Erem told his little sister. “I’ll take you to your matron.” 

Ar let go of Barach’s leg, but immediately turned on Erem and punched him in the thigh as hard as she could. “I can do it myself, Eri,” she declared confidently.

“I’m going to throw you in the waterfall,” Erem shouted after his little sister as she squealed and ran off. He pretended to chase her when she looked back, and she squeaked and ran faster. 

Erem rubbed his thigh. “Damn, her bony little knuckles always hit the same spot.” 

“You okay?”

“Of course. I should go check and make sure she gets back to her matron, though. See you at dinner?”

“Sure.” Barach and Erem kissed, ever so quickly, making sure no one saw their display of affection. It was a little frustrating to have to hide again, after how much time they’d been able to spend alone at the beachside manor. Barach already missed having Erem to himself.

After Erem jogged after his sister, Barach surveyed the rest of the academy. He had heard the news, of course. It was hard not to, even that far out, when the results of every Hunt were broadcast across the E’din linked tablets of the Isten. 

Barach didn’t know what to expect when he returned. Blood, maybe. Everything on fire. A mob waiting to stone him to death for skipping two games. Anything other than the quiet calm that greeted him.

Then again, it was still early. 

Barach dropped off his and Erem’s belongings in their room first. He changed out of his flight clothes. A glimpse of his blurry reflection in the silver-backed glass made him pause while his shirt was still off. His skin had tanned significantly with all his time lounging on the beach. He sniffed his arm. His skin smelled like sunlight and saltwater. He smelled like Erem.

His scent would fade and return to normal in a few days. By the time class resumed, no one would think to question where he’d been during the break. Barach got dressed and left the room. He flew up to the enclave of the Hunt and strode in. The mood there was significantly different than the calm in the rest of the academy, especially when the people training noticed him. 

“Hey,” he said. 

Ku-Vox leaned on the blunted spear he’d been sparring with. There was a line of pink scarring across his chest and left arm. It looked recent, and didn’t seem to be healing fast for the Homm. “Captain wants to see you,” he said bluntly.

Mikkon lowered his spear and walked to Vox’s side. “Where were you?” 

“Ahnnak requirements. Don’t worry about it.” Barach walked over. He noticed Mikkon was favoring his right leg. “How bad was everyone hurt?”

“Hul lost an arm,” said the Homm. “They got it reattached on the field, so he’s fine now, but he keeps dropping stuff.”

That wasn’t good. A weapon who couldn’t hold weapons wasn’t very useful on a squad. “Anyone else?”

“Shit, Barach, nearly everyone got hurt,” replied Vox with annoyance. “Mikkon nearly had to have his leg amputated, the bone was broken so bad. You should have been there.”

“It wouldn’t have changed anything. I can’t protect everyone, especially when they’re not on my squad.”

“No, but you would have been able to protect the Captain. We could have won if you’d been there. You could have made all these injuries worth it.”

“Nothing is worth getting hurt like this, even the Hunt. Go back to training. Get stronger, so it doesn’t happen again.” Barach walked by them, heading up to the lounge overlooking the enclave, where he knew he would find Lorcas.

Barach knocked on the open door and entered. “Captain?” Cariel, Duke, and Pon-Pon were in the room with him. None of them rose from the table covered in tactical maps as Lorcas stormed over.

“You motherfucker,” Lorcas snapped. He looked bad. Fading bruises covered every exposed part of his body. Red stained the white of one eye, but it was beginning to clear. It must have looked awful when it first happened. “I’m going to break every bone in your body. Where the fuck were you?”

“I had Ahnnak business to take care of,” said Barach.

Lorcas grabbed the front of his shirt and pressed him against the wall. “Fucking your blue slut’s ass is not an acceptable excuse.”

Barach looked passed him. Cariel, Duke, and Pon-Pon busied themselves with the papers before them, staring very intently as the the work as if they weren’t aware of what was being said. 

“I don’t know what you mean,” Barach replied, turning his eyes back to Lorcas. “And I’ll remind you not to speak of my friends in that tone again, Captain.” 

“You’re going to have to choose. Us, or him.”

“Him,” Barach said, without hesitation. “I will always choose him.”

Lorcas glared at him. “Then you’re off the team.” He released Barach’s shirt and stepped back.

“You’re kicking me off out of the Hunt?” Barach smoothed the fabric back down. “It was only two games.”

“We lost the Championship, Barach,” said Lorcas. “If you had been there-”

“You cannot blame the results of an entire game on me,” he replied sharply. “You could have done better.”

Lorcas’ lip curled back in a sneer. “You’re right. I could have. I could have killed the ogrus while it ripped Hul in half, but I saved him instead. I protected his bleeding body while the fiend uprooted a tree and smashed us into the mud over and over. I could have let him die to win that game, but I didn’t. And I never would have had to make that choice if you had been there, watching my back, doing your fucking job like you’re supposed to.” 

Well, that explained the bruises. “Is he okay?” Barach asked.

“Hul? His arm was ripped off. Took half the muscle across his back and chest. He nearly lost a wing.” Lorcas shook his head. “He needs more time to heal before we can know for sure.”

“He might not be able to play next season?”

“Even if he isn’t fully capable, I would rather have him on my squad than you. At least Hul has always been devoted to the Hunt.” Lorcas returned to the table. “I want you out, Ahnnak.”

Barach crossed his arms over his chest. “So you get one loss and suddenly you’re willing to sacrifice the next season, too?”

Lorcas sat beside Cariel. “We’ll figure it out without you.”

“Actually…” said the Vice-Captain.

“No,” Lorcas declared, glaring at her. 

“Titan and Giliel both graduated last year. Hul is recovering. We can’t afford to lose another experienced member of our team.”

“We don’t need anyone around who won’t take the Hunt seriously.”

Cariel frowned. “You have one season left as Captain, then I’m in charge. I have a say in who is on our team, and I refuse to believe that you are really willing to give up the chance to win the Winter Hunt over some grudge.”

Lorcas motioned toward Barach. “We can’t rely on him.”

Cariel looked over. “Barach, do you foresee any urgent business stealing you away from your duties to the Hunt before the end of the year?”

“No,” Barach replied.

“Nothing that might give you reason to skip a game or two?”

He shook his head in response.

“See?” Vice-Captain Cariel said. “It’ll be fine.”

“I’m still Captain, Cariel. The final decision is mine.”

She shrugged. “Yes, of course, Captain, but I do hope your decision comes from a place of logic and practicality rather than some emotionally fueled revenge scheme.”

Lorcas clenched his jaw. He glared at Barach while he thought his options over. He wasn’t happy when he finally came to his decision. “You can stay, but you miss any practices or games, and I will have your feathers ripped out one by one.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Barach said.

“Get out of my sight,” Lorcas said with a wave of his hand. “You’re on weapons duty for the next three months.”

“Yes, Captain.” Barach bowed slightly to the four at the table, then left the lounge. As much as he disliked being ordered around by Lorcas, he wasn’t ready to give up his position in the Hunt. He hadn’t wanted to skip any of the games, but Erem gave him no choice. 

Hopefully Erem would be more understanding when winter came.

***

Gabriel opened the door and then immediately slammed it shut in Barach’s face. “Fuck!” his silver-haired friend shouted from the other side. 

Barach waited patiently outside the door. After another minute, it cracked open and a short Terran girl with a long, dark braid emerged. She gave Barach a shy smile before she escaped down the hall. Barach pushed the door open and went in.

“Who was that?”

“None of your business,” Gabriel muttered. He smoothed the blankets out on his bed. 

“Her name, Gabriel.”

“Falla. Fiends, Barach, why are you back already?”

“I was worried about you.” 

Gabriel scoffed. He walked over to his closet and flipped through the shirts. “Worried about me? But not your team?”

“I don’t need to hear it from you, too.” Barach sat in the plush chair, throwing a leg over the arm as he lounged. “I thought you would be happy to see me.”

“I’m not.” 

“You should have come to the beach with us.”

“I’m not leaving Alex unattended.”

“He could have come, too.”

“I will not ask Jequn for any more favors.” Gabriel yanked a shirt down and hastily pulled it on. “The less contact we have with him, the better.”

“So what did you and Alex do?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“I didn’t see him.”

Barach frowned at Gabriel, even though his back was turned while he dressed. “You ignored him all Harvest?”

“I didn’t ignore him. I was just busy.”

“With what?” Barach glared. “With who?”

“None of your business.” Gabriel turned around. “Let’s go find Erem.”

Barach stood. “Gabriel, you can’t keep avoiding him. He’s your brother.”

“I’m not avoiding him. I’m keeping him safe. You know I had a sparrow nailed to my door last week?”

“A sparrow? You know who did it?”

Gabriel shrugged. “Didn’t look into it too much.”

“You can’t ignore threats like that. If they’re willing to kill something to make a point, they could seriously try to hurt you.”

“I know. Which is why I can’t have Alex anywhere near me.”

Barach scowled. He hated that Gabriel saw that as the only option. “You could give up sleeping with everyone you meet. Then you wouldn’t have to worry about shit like this happening.”

“I’m an heir. They’ll find a reason to do it anyway.” He walked toward the door. “I’m hungry. Erem better be in the dining hall.”

“He’ll meet us there.” Barach followed after him. “Gabe, why are you trying to avoid looking at me?”

“Don’t call me that.” Gabriel stopped with his hand on the door handle. “You know, you could have come back a few days sooner.”

“Why?”

“The Hunt needed you.”

“Since when do you care if the Hunt wins or loses a game?”

“I don’t. Forget it.” Gabriel opened the door, but Barach put a hand on the wood and pushed it closed again. He leaned against it, essentially locking Gabriel in.

“What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Did Lorcas say something to you? Did he hurt you?”

“No.” Gabriel tugged at the door, and the wood creaked, but he couldn’t get it open. “Fiends, Barach, he’s not talking to me anymore.”

“Oh?” Barach tried not to sound happy about that.

“Him or Sera.”

“Sorry to hear that,” said Barach. He definitely wasn’t sorry, and by the way Gabriel glared up at him, he could tell his friend picked up on the lie.

“Fuck you, Barach. It’s your fault. If you hadn’t killed Tassin, Lorcas never would have had any leverage over us.”

“You went to him before I killed that Homm,” Barach reminded him. “And what you’ve done with him since has nothing to do with me. In fact, I repeatedly asked you to stop.”

“Well, it’s over now.” Gabriel let go of the door and pushed his hands back through his silver hair, gathering it in a knot at the back of his head. “Lorcas told me to never speak to him again.”

“Good.” 

“Not good. Sera isn’t speaking to me either.”

“So? She’s his girlfriend.”

“She’s really smart, Barach.”

For a moment, Barach just stared at Gabriel. His brow furrowed. “You’ve got a crush on her.”

“What? No!” Gabriel released his hair, letting it fall back around his shoulders. “I do not. I can use her for my classes.”

“Uh huh.”

“Besides, she deserves better than someone like Lorcas.” 

“Uh huh.” 

“I _do not_ have a crush on her.”

“Sure, Gabe.” Barach shook his head. “The sooner you get over your infatuation with those two Terran, the better off you’ll be.”

“I am not infatuated,” Gabriel said sharply. “And don’t call me that.”

“Lorcas and Sera are both graduating at the end of year. They’re leaving Archridge no matter how you think you feel about them.” 

Gabriel crossed his arms and looked down with a pout. “I know. But-”

“But nothing. When they’re gone, you’re never going to see them again.”

“You don’t know that.”

“No? What place do you think they could have in the life of an Ahnnak? Of an heir, like you?” Barach shook his head. “You’re too sentimental. Terran lives are meaningless.”

Gabriel scowled. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

“Fine. But try not to act so melancholy in front of Erem. I don’t need him trying to pick a fight with Lorcas right now.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes, and Barach opened the door. They walked into the hall, and went off to find Erem for dinner.


	25. Alex: 23rd Degree of Harvest, 596 DE

The breeze rustled through the trees, telling the story of the end of summer. The full moon hung in the clear sky above the forest, creating a bright circle of moonlight around the zvik’s tree. The golden leaves shimmered as another gust of wind swept through the clearing. Alex closed his eyes and listened, letting the sounds of the forest surround him. There were so many creatures that came alive at night. There was safety in the darkness.

Alex summoned his energy in the patterns the zvik taught him. Everything he did was backward, but he didn’t think about it too much. It didn’t hurt if he didn’t fight it. The shadows of his energy enveloped him as he extended himself backward. It was only a second. Just a black echo, untouched by moonlight.

When the energy nearly felt real enough to touch, Alex opened his eyes. He stepped out of the shadows, and the blackness lingered where he had been for a second before following him. Alex took another step, then another, always staying just out of their reach. His pace increased and he twisted in the circle of moonlight, moving around his shadows as he would a partner in dance. It was like one of the forms Kamberli taught him before she went away, except he didn’t need a partner. He adapted the moves so the shadows responded to him and he never appeared to be dancing alone. 

“What are you doing?” asked a deep voice from above.

Alex stumbled. His shadows snapped to him and dissipated like a splash of cold water. He pulled his power back inside his chest, but it felt too tight, like the energy didn’t want to be contained yet. He hadn’t expected to see anyone else out here tonight, and the appearance of the Huntsman startled him.

Trying to calm himself, Alex pressed his hand over his heart and clutched the wooden medallion beneath his shirt. He straightened, and looked up at Lorcasiel, who sat on one of the lower branches of the zvik’s tree. “I was practicing,” Alex said breathlessly.

“Practicing? Out here alone?”

“The full moon makes Bo tired.”

“I know. That’s why I’m here to feed him, while he’s docile.” Lorcas dropped from the white branch and landed without a sound. “I didn’t expect to find you out here, though. You should be in bed.”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

“Neither could I.” The Huntsman approached without disturbing the grasses beneath his feet. Sometimes the way he moved reminded Alex of Hadasha, when she was stalking prey. It was a little unnerving to be the focus of that attention. “You still shouldn’t be out here. It’s dangerous to be in the forest alone.”

Alex gazed up at Lorcas as he stood before him in the moonlight. The Huntsman’s colorless eyes fixated on him, sending a chill down his spine. “But I’m not alone,” Alex whispered. “You’re here.”

“Maybe I’m what you should be afraid of,” Lorcas replied.

Maybe he was right, but Alex didn’t move away. “How did you get hurt?” he asked, noticing the yellow bruises that covered the Huntsman’s skin. 

Lorcas’ lip twitched. “I got into a fight with a tree and lost,” he said in a tone that made clear he didn’t want to talk about it more. “Did the zvik teach you how to control your energy like that?”

Alex shook his head. “I was just playing.”

“You still can’t get your power to align right?” 

“It hurts if I fight it.”

“Hurts?” 

Alex touched his chest. “In here. It’s like I’m being ripped apart.” 

“Your energy shouldn’t make you feel like that. You’re doing something wrong.”

Alex shrugged and looked down. “I know. I can’t do anything right.”

The Huntsman touched Alex’s chin and lifted his head. “Hey, it’s okay.” He smiled softly. “What you can do is beautiful. You’re mesmerizing to watch.”

“I don’t want to be beautiful,” Alex pouted.

With a snort of amusement, Lorcas said, “Well, you’ve going to have a hard time avoiding that one.” He brushed Alex’s long black hair back from his face. “You’re already hard to resist.” 

Alex’s heart skipped a beat as he looked up at the Huntsman. Fear filled him, but there was something else, too. He didn’t know how to respond.

Lorcas chuckled at Alex’s dumbfounded expression. “Come on, kid. I’ll help you focus your energy. See if we can’t get you straightened out.” He walked back over to the tree. Alex followed with a little uncertainty.

The roots of the white tree jutted from the ground. Some of them were as high enough that when Lorcas picked Alex up and sat him on a root, the boys were the same height. Alex squeaked in protest, but he quieted when faced with the Huntsman’s grey eyes.

“Show me how you do it,” Lorcas said. He placed his hands on the root at each side of Alex and watched him closely.

Nervous at the Huntsman’s proximity, Alex held up his shaking hands. He could only control a small tendril of his power, which flickered in shadows around his fingers. 

“I’ve never seen anything like that,” Lorcas muttered. “Is this something your father can do?”

Alex’s energy spiked, and he quickly pulled it back into himself before he lost control. “N-No. I don’t think so.”

“You’re distracted,” said the Huntsman, which was entirely true. The older boy smelled of sweat and the high ozone winds. He’d probably been training before he flew to the forest. It was a very masculine scent, which made Alex a little light headed. He wanted to get away. 

“Do it again,” Lorcas said. “Focus on me, and reach forward through time.” 

Alex licked his lips and breathed in shakily. He held his hands up again, but he couldn’t trust his control. He gave up without trying and lowered his hands to his lap. “I can’t.”

Lorcas regarded Alex thoughtfully. “You’re tired. Why aren’t you at the academy, in bed?”

“Can’t sleep.” 

“You need sleep. Is it your roommates? Are they keeping you awake?”

“N-No.”

The Huntsman tilted his head. His grey eyes never left Alex’s face. “Did something happen with them?”

“No.” Alex shook his head rapidly and looked down. He tried to hide behind his hair.

“If they’re bullying you, you just say the word, and I’ll kick their asses. They’ll never even look at you again.”

“They’re not bullying me,” Alex insisted. “I just… I’m afraid to be alone with Uzzi…”

“You like him,” the Huntsman said with surprise. 

Alex’s wings tightened against his back. “I don’t. I don’t like anyone.”

“Have you kissed this boy?”

Alex could hear his heart pounding in his ears. “No.”

Lorcas laughed, amused by the blatant lie. “Oh, you poor kid. No wonder you spend all your time out here in the woods with some fiend. You know it’s okay, don’t you?”

Alex’s skin flushed. “It’s not.”

“Are you afraid of what your brother will think? Because, trust me, he has no room to complain.”

Alex glanced at Lorcas from the corner of his eye. “What do you mean?”

The Huntsman smirked. “Let’s just say, you two are a lot alike.” He swept Alex’s hair back over his shoulder so he couldn’t hide behind it anymore. “So if it’s not your brother worrying you, then what is?”

“It’s…” Alex bit his lip. Even in the forest, with no one else near, he was afraid to talk about it.

Lorcas touched Alex’s chin and raised his face. “Trust me,” he said softly. 

Alex knew he shouldn’t, but his heart was beating fast as he looked into those sharp grey eyes. “I’m afraid I’m not good enough,” he whispered.

“Not good enough?” Lorcas smiled. “You’re inexperienced, but you’ll learn.” He leaned in a little closer. “I could help you practice.”

For a stunned moment, Alex realized the Huntsman meant to kiss him. Worse, he realized he was going to let him do it. Alex remained motionless, lips parted, waiting for the touch of the older boys mouth.

It never came. 

A crack of lightning shot across the clearing, hitting Lorcas right between his wings. The energy snapped into Alex, knocking him backward off the root, and he hit the ground hard.

“Fiends take you!” Lorcas shouted as he recovered from the blast. He staggered, using his wings to counterbalance him. He spun on their attacker. “You bastard!”

“He is not-t-t for you,” said the zvik, standing in the shadows of the cave with its arm outstretched. The fiend was gaunt, barely able to hold itself upright.

“I wasn’t going to do anything to him!” Lorcas snapped.

The zvik clattered irritably, then disappeared back into its cave. Lorcas grumbled curses under his breath and turned back toward Alex. “You alright?” 

Alex blinked until he was certain the stars he saw above him were actually in the sky, and not just spots in his vision. “I’m fine.” 

“You don’t look fine.” Lorcas grabbed Alex’s arm and hauled him to his feet. “That fiend is a menace. Can you stand?”

“Yeah,” Alex muttered. His ears were ringing.

“Go sit in the cave and rest. Get a fire going. I’ll bring in more wood.” Lorcas pointed Alex toward the cave and gave him a nudge. “You’ll be fine.”

“Yeah,” Alex agreed, even though he wasn’t sure. His heartbeat was frantic, and it wasn’t just because he’d been hit by a bolt of electricity.

***

Alex stumbled into the cave, trailing his fingers over the familiar rocks on the wall. He had visited the zvik often enough over the past month that he knew the path to the cavern without needing light. When he reached the room, he counted his steps to the middle of the space and crouched. He felt around in the dark until he found the ring of stone for the fire.

“You ignore my warningsss of t-t-tomorrow,” the zvik scolded from the darkness above.

“Sorry, Bo.” During his visit yesterday, the fiend told him not to come today. Alex had assumed it was because of the full moon, and as long as he didn’t bother the zvik, it would be okay. “I couldn’t stay at the academy,” he tried to explain. “Uzzi came back.”

The fiend made a chittering noise of disinterest. “You need t-t-to focusss,” it hissed.

“I’m trying.” Alex gathered the remaining dry kindling together in the circle of stone. “I just feel strange when Uzzi is around. I can’t concentrate.”

“The fire will burn you,” Bo warned.

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Alex replied. He pulled one of the few remaining threads of firecord from his bracelet. “Uzzi kissed me, you know? I should have stopped him, but I didn’t, and now he wants to do it again.” Alex snapped the thread and let the flame touch the dry kindling. “I’m scared that he’ll hate me if- Ouch!” He jerked his hand back. The blaze caught quicker than he expected, and the burst of fire scorched his palm. “Oh. That burn.” 

The zvik made another scolding noise from above. Alex sat back and examined his red skin in the growing firelight. The burn hurt, but it was nothing compared to the burns Jequn used to give him. 

_Trails of fire across his chest and legs that lingered for days as a reminder of his required devotion to the man._

Alex rubbed his burnt palm on his leg and tried not to think about Jequn anymore. “It’s just hard to focus right now.”

“Nothing will get-t easier.”

“Thanks. That makes me feel a lot better.”

“I am not-t-t here to make you feel better. I am here to make you ssstronger.”

Alex sprawled back on the stone by the fire. He stared up at the flickering shadows. The zvik remained hidden in its hollow, but Alex caught a glimpse of its milky white eyes. “Is that why you never left?”

“No. I see you before me, but there is a limit to my sight-t-t.” 

“What do you mean?”

“Your future lies in shadowsss,” the zvik hissed. “You will hide yourself from us.”

Alex frowned. That didn’t make any sense. “I thought your could see my future.”

“Possibilities, nothing more.” The zvik crawled out of its hollow and dropped to the cave floor near Alex. It pointed to his burned hand. “In Zvikwambo, we ssstep outside of t-t-time to stay sssafe.” 

“Is that how you can walk through fire without getting burned?”

Bo’s big head bobbled in a nod that looked like it might topple the small fiend. “There is a path where the fire is not-t-t, and I ssstep forward into it-t-t. I ssstep back out when I catch up with myself.” 

Alex snorted. “But I can’t do that. Everything goes backwards for me.”

“I only see me teaching you.” The zvik crouched by his head. Its clawed fingers reached out, stroking the air around him. “I cannot-t-t see what you will become anymore. There is too much darkness and pain.”

Alex felt a chill run down his spine, despite being so close to the fire. “I can change it, can’t I? If I’m strong enough to take care of myself?”

“Some things cannot-t-t be avoided.” The zvik pulled its hand back. Its jaw vibrated, making an unnerving clattering noise with its teeth. “ _He comes._ ” Bo turned and scampered back up the wall.

Alex sighed. He lay on the stone and waited for the Huntsman to enter the cave. 

A conjured orb of light floated before Lorcas as he carried in an armful of firewood. He placed the stack by the wall, then picked up a log and brought it to the fire. 

“Feeling any better?” Lorcas asked as he stepped over Alex and added the wood to the blaze.

“Yes, a little,” Alex said. 

“I’m glad.” The Huntsman waved his hand over the fire, evening out the flames so they burned low and bright. “Now, excuse me while I deal with this fiend.” Lorcas stepped away from the fire and drew his sword. “Show yourself!” he shouted, eyes focused on the ceiling.

“You will not command me,” came the zvik’s chittering reply. 

“I will if you want to eat tonight.” 

The flickering forms of the zvik emerged from the hollow, followed by its gnashing teeth. It moved quickly across the ceiling toward Lorcas.

“Don’t fight,” Alex yelled, scrambling to his feet. He still felt a little off balance, and had to open his wings to steady himself.

The images of the fiend faded back into its body. It pressed itself flat against the ceiling and watched the two winged boys. Stone flaked off beneath its claws, but it remained motionless. 

Lorcas tensed, sword held before him, waiting for the fiend to attack. “Alex, stay back. I’m going to kick his ass.”

“No. You do this every time.” He walked over to the Huntsman. “I don’t want you to fight Bo anymore.”

Lorcas’ grey eyes shifted from the zvik to Alex for a split second. “You still call that damn thing by a name, like it’s a pet. Fiends are dangerous. He attacked us both tonight. He would kill me if I walked in here unarmed.”

“T-T-True,” responded the zvik.

“Bo wasn’t trying to hurt me,” Alex insisted. “He thought he was protecting me against you. Don’t attack him.

Lorcas glared at Alex. Through clenched teeth, he said, “Fiends. You’re as difficult as your brother. Fine.” He sheathed his sword, then pounded his chest and opened his arms to the zvik. “Well? Come on! If you want to attack me, do it now!”

Bo wiggled and pressed closer to the stone. “Hungry,” it groused.

“Seriously?” Lorcas exclaimed. “Just like that, you’re tame?”

“T-T-Tame will ssstill eat-t-t your face.”

Lorcas huffed and sat beside the fire. “Get your meal, then, fiend.” He held out his arm as he looked at Alex. “If he kills me, it’s your fault.”

“He won’t,” Alex replied.

“Oh, you’ve figured out how to see the future now?”

Alex shook his head. “No. I just trust him.”

“You shouldn’t. You shouldn’t trust anyone.”

“Even you?” Alex asked.

“Especially me.” 

The zvik dropped to the ground near Lorcas and crept toward his offered arm. It moved cautiously, like it was waiting for Lorcas to change his mind and draw the sword again. Lorcas began channeling energy to his fingertips when the fiend reached him. Bo took Lorcas’ wrist into its mouth and bit down. Lorcas flinched, but once the zvik was latched on, they both relaxed.

Lorcas released a slow, steady breath, then muttered, “You’re infuriating, kid.”

Alex took a seat near Bo and Lorcas. “Why do you feed him if you don’t trust him?”

“I do trust him. I just trust him to behave like a fiend.”

“Is it because Bo taught you how to see the future?”

Lorcas flexed his fingers. Some of his blood dripped from the zvik’s mouth, though Bo wasn’t intentionally trying to hurt him. “Maybe. That ability has kept me alive on more than one occasion, even though I messed up last time.”

“Is that why you’re hurt?”

Nodding, Lorcas said, “Yes, but it’s also why my friend isn’t dead. I could have saved myself, won even, but the alternative was letting someone who has supported me for years die. Even though he’s annoying, I couldn’t let that happen, so I protected him. I let myself get hurt to keep him alive.”

Alex stared into the fire. “I think you did the right thing.”

“Yeah,” Lorcas sighed. “I guess.”

They sat quietly for a couple moments, listening to the crackle of the wood amid the flames. After a while, Lorcas eased the flow of his energy to the feeding zvik, and its suckling slowed. 

“That’s enough,” Lorcas said softly. “Go sleep off your high, fiend. And if you waste any of your energy on pointless attacks again, and I’ll let you starve next month.” 

It extracted its teeth from Lorcas’ arm as gently as it could. Bo, plump and content, waddled toward the nearest wall and climbed up. It pulled itself into one of the hollows and noisily began cleaning the blood from its face.

When Lorcas offered the bandage to Alex, he took it without a word and began wrapping his arm. The Huntsman watched, his grey eyes reflecting the firelight. 

“That zvik never should have been able to hit me,” Lorcas said, his voice low.

“You didn’t know he was there.”

“I should have, but I let myself get distracted by you. It’s my fault you were caught in the attack.”

“It didn’t really hurt,” Alex said. He was careful to avoid getting any of the Huntsman’s blood on his fingers as he tightened the bandage.

“Your brother would be completely distraught if he found out something happened to you.” Lorcas huffed. “It would almost be worth it to see that look on his stupid face.” Alex glanced over at the Huntsman, wings tense. Lorcas gave him a tight smile. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to hurt you just to get back at your brother, even if he is an ass.” 

“I thought you were friends,” Alex said, and resumed wrapping the Huntsman’s arm.

“ _Friends_ is difficult with Gabriel.” Lorcas scowled. “He pisses me off. He’s temperamental and unpredictable. Sometimes, he shifts the future so abruptly that I can’t keep up.” He touched his jaw like he was rubbing a sore spot. “I don’t even think he’s aware he does it. It’s like something else slips into him, and he disappears for a few seconds.” 

Alex swallowed hard. He knew exactly what Lorcas was talking about. “It breaks out.”

“What?”

“His anger. It’s always there, but sometimes, it breaks out.”

“I suppose it does,” Lorcas said thoughtfully. “Was he always like that?”

Alex squeezed his wings in tight against his back. “I don’t remember. I didn’t see him much.”

“When you were home sick.”

“Sick. Yes.” Alex kept his head down, avoiding the Huntsman’s intense gaze.

“What really happened?”

“I can’t talk about it.”

The Huntsman was quiet for a few moments before he said, “You know, I’ve become so reliant on seeing what is to come, I almost never let my guard down. I’m always stuck a few seconds in the future, watching myself react to attacks that will never land. I’m trapped there, losing myself faster than I can see.”

“You could stop,” Alex suggested. He focused on wrapping the bandage, covering the spots of blood that seeped through the first layer of fabric. “You don’t have to see.”

“It isn’t that easy. I need it.” Lorcas leaned back on his other arm and opened his wings behind him. His feathers looked red in the firelight. “When I was a child, my parents died. I was too young to know their names, and there was no one else who cared. I was forgotten at an orphanage until I was old enough to be sent to Archridge, and then I was forgotten here. The only time anyone paid attention to me was when I got into fights, so I fought a lot. The first person who saw me, actually saw _me_ , was Sera. She needed me as much as I needed her, and I love her in a way I don’t think I even understand yet. But there was a time when that wasn’t enough. I wanted more. I wanted fame. I wanted the world to know my name. I didn’t care what I had to do to get it.”

Alex finished tying the bandage. He sat back on his heels and watched the Huntsman examine the neat wrap. “Is that why you joined the Hunt?”

“My patron insisted.”

“Patron?”

“Yes. See, there is a certain allowance for children to be taught at the academy at a young age, but after a while, especially if they show no talent, it is not efficient to keep them enrolled.” Lorcas put his hand in his lap and turned hard eyes on Alex. “It’s too expensive to keep worthless kids at the academy, so they send them to the military to die, or farms to work.”

“O-Oh.” Alex chewed on his lip.

“Don’t worry. It won’t happen to you. You’re the son of an Isten. You’re important enough to stay, even if you’re worthless.” Lorcas cringed at his own words and shook his head. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it to sound like that. It’s just been a rough week.”

“That’s okay… So, what is a patron?” 

“A person to offers to pay for the rest of your education, usually with stipulations. My patron is the Isten Damabiath.”

“An Isten?” Alex’s black eyes widened.

Lorcas nodded. “I used to think I was lucky. I met him accidentally. He came to Archridge to observe the Hunt during their spring practice and he lost some trinket while he was here. I don’t know if he did it on purpose, as a test for the Hunt, but I was the one who found it. I didn’t know what it was, so I kept it for a few days. I was playing with it in class when an instructor saw me. She hauled me into Iscriel’s office, screaming that I had stolen from an Isten. I had no clue what was going on, and no one would listen to me. When the Isten arrived, I was thrown at his feet to beg forgiveness. Damabiath had everyone leave the room, and then he spoke to me.

“But the thing about being near an Isten is they exude power. It’s suffocating and terrifying, and there is nothing that can prepare someone for being in their presence.” 

“I know,” Alex whispered, looking down at his grey-nailed fingers.

“I suppose you do…” With a sigh, Lorcas said, “I was twelve. The only experience I had with authority before that was when they beat me, but the Isten spoke to me. He asked where I found his sigil. How. If I found things often. What my grades were like. Who I was descended from. Endless questions like that. I answered him honestly because I was terrified. I thought he was going to kill me.

“Yet, for as scared as I was, I was drawn to his power. When he asked me to follow him, I did without question. We flew here, to the forest, and he told me to find a boar and cut out its heart.”

Alex gasped. “You didn’t.”

Lorcas lowered his eyes. “He gave me the dagger from his belt, and I did not return to him until I held the beast’s warm heart in my bloody hands. The Isten was pleased. I wore the scars from the boar’s tusks proudly for days.” Lorcas rubbed his face. “It was cruel. It was pointless. If I had known anything, I would have refused.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“I was dumb and selfish.” Lorcas looked at Alex again, his eyes sad. “The Isten made me an offer. If I pledged myself to him for two-hundred years and joined the Hunt, he would act as my patron and legal guardian, allowing me to remain at Archridge. I would be given the best of everything, and every championship I won in his name would lessen my servitude to him by a decade. I accepted without hesitation.”

“Why?” Alex asked.

“Before Damabiath, I was nothing. When I was twelve, even if I never won a championship with the Hunt, the idea of someone as important as an Isten wanting me mattered more than my freedom. Belonging to him meant I was worth something.”

“But what about Sera? You mattered to her.”

“Like I said, I was dumb.” Lorcas fluttered his wings. The flames danced in the breeze he created. “When I finally understood what I agreed to, it was too late. Winning became the only thing that mattered, and I’ve resented your kind, and the power you hold over people like me, ever since.”

“But I don’t have any power,” Alex said.

Lorcas snorted. “Little Ahnnak, your power lies in your lineage. You could be weaker than any Homm, but the station of your birth guarantees that you will always be more important than the rest of us. We will die for you for centuries, and you’ll barely remember our names.”

Alex glanced over. “Is that why you fight with my brother?”

The Huntsman’s brow furrowed. “Your brother is the worst of them. I can’t stand him.”

“You shouldn’t stay angry with him.”

“What?”

“I know you don’t really hate him.”

“Of course I do. He’s an obnoxious, spoiled little brat, who acts like everyone is here just for his own amusement.”

“You’re his friend. He needs friends,” Alex said softly. “I don’t like when he’s sad.”

Lorcas frowned. “Yeah, well… I’ll think about it.” He touched Alex’s shoulder and gave him a light shove. “Fiends, what did he do to deserve a brother as cute as you?” Lorcas stood up, brushing the stones of the cave floor off his backside. “We should go, kid. It’ll be morning soon, and we’ve both got to get back to our rooms without getting caught.”

The Huntsman held out his hand. Alex hesitated a heartbeat, then took the offered hand and allowed Lorcas to help him up. He didn’t mind touching the Huntsman, even if his skin prickled at the contact.

Lorcas withdrew the fire from the stone circle, gathering the heat and light into a ball in his hand. The wood snapped, adjusting to the sudden lack of heat. Lorcas held the light before him as he left the cave. Alex followed, only pausing long enough to look back and call, “Goodnight, Bo! See you soon!”

The zvik chittered something as the darkness surrounded its hollow, then Alex followed Lorcas out of the cave and back to Archridge.


	26. Remiel: 30th Degree of Harvest, 596 DE

“Are you sure you don’t want us to come with you?” Zak asked.

“You really can’t expect us to just sit around and wait,” said Sophie.

“I’m not asking you to wait for me,” said Remiel, “but this is something I have to do on my own.” He checked his reflection in the mirror again, making sure his thick brown hair covered his ears. 

Sophie pouted. “You have us. You don’t have to do anything on your own.”

Remiel approached her and kissed her pouting lips. “Not everyone’s family is as understanding as yours.” 

She smoothed the front of his shirt and tightened the bow at his hip. She wouldn’t look into his green eyes. “This isn’t the same.” 

“I know.” Remiel tilted her chin up so she would look at him. “I’ll be okay.”

“Promise?” There was a shimmer of tears in her fiery eyes.

“I promise,” he said, and kissed her again.

It was time to go. Remiel gave Sophie a reassuring smile, then met Zak at the door.

“I’ll walk with you down to the street,” the healer said.

“Zak, you don’t have to-”

“I want to.” Zak opened the door for him. “Please.”

There was no point arguing. Remiel left the apartment. Zak followed behind him. Before they reached the corner that turned toward the main road, Zak grabbed Remiel’s arm and spun him around. He pulled him into a tight hug and pressed his face into Remiel’s hair.

“Don’t go.”

“Zak…” Remiel wrapped his arms around his boyfriend’s back and returned the embrace. For a moment, they just stood there, holding each other. They’d already had this discussion. Remiel wouldn’t change his mind. 

When Zak finally released Remiel, he sniffled and looked up at the sky. He blinked a few times to keep the tears from falling from his eyes. “Whatever happens,” he said, “promise me you’ll come back. Even if you have to lie, promise me.”

“There is nothing Laesh can say or do that will stop me from coming back,” Remiel assured him. “I promise.”

“He might not give you a choice.”

“Then I guess you’ll have your bed to yourself again until I escape.” 

Zak smiled, but it was pained. “I would sleep on the dirt if it meant you could stay.” 

“Remember you said that the next time I’m sprawled across your mattress and there’s no room for you,” Remiel replied. They shared a small smile as they touched their foreheads together. Remiel breathed in his boyfriend’s scent, lamenting that he had to go. “I’ll be back.” The words were more for him than Zak, but Zak needed to hear them, too.

“I love you, Rem.”

“I love you, too.” Remiel left him there with another kiss, and headed to the streets of Marut.

***

Remiel checked in at the front desk of the Marut security compound. The guard verified his name was on General Laeshiel’s approved list of visitors, then sent him to wait by the wall. Remiel stood for a little while, but when it became clear Laeshiel wasn’t coming right away, he sat. He fidgeted with the scarf covering the manacle around his wrist, but in this place, he doubted there was anything he could do to hide it.

Several officers strolled by agressively, recognition plain on their faces. They knew who he was. They let their hands linger on their weapons as they passed, a warning to behave.

He kept his head lowered. He wasn’t here to start a fight, not with them.

“Remiel.” General Laeshiel stood in the hallway. He was drying his hands on a white cloth. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Something came up.”

“It’s fine,” Remiel said. He stood and followed his cousin back to his office. “You’ve, um, got a little blood on your shirt.”

Laeshiel looked down. “So I do.” He tossed the towel onto his desk and went over to a wide wardrobe. There were several identical uniforms hanging in there, along with a grooming kit and a mirror. Laeshiel watched Remiel in the reflection while he changed.

“I was worried I would have to come find you today,” said the General. 

“I thought this would be easier,” Remiel said. He hadn’t been given permission to sit yet, so he stood and examined the items on his cousin’s desk. There were a few sealed scrolls that looked important. One was bound in the colors of an Isten. White and green. Tennin, if Remiel remembered correctly. That made sense, considering the Isten Tennin was the Air Chief Marshal of the military. No one ranked higher than him, and all military orders across E’din were sent out in his name.

Laeshiel removed his belts of weapons and pouches, then hung them in his wardrobe. He stripped off his bloodied shirt and folded it. He placed it on a shelf, presumably to be washed later. “I assume you’ve had enough time to think.”

“I have.” Remiel touched the ink well on Laeshiel’s desk, sliding it just out of alignment with the tidy stack of blank parchment. 

“You’ve come to a decision?” 

“Yes.” 

Laeshiel selected a clean uniform top and closed the wardrobe. He approached Remiel at the front of the desk while he pulled the shirt over his head. The coarse fabric covered his chest and shoulders, but left his upper back unobstructed to avoid interfering with his wings. A panel at his waist wrapped around his back and connected at his hip with a row of tiny buttons. Laeshiel fastened them without looking or missing a hole. 

“Before you tell me about whatever half-cocked decision you’ve made, I need to discuss some things with you.” Laeshiel finished buttoning the clean shirt, then motioned to the bench before his desk. “Sit.”

“I don’t think there’s anything to discuss.”

“Sit,” Laeshiel repeated, leaving no room for argument. 

Remiel sat. He opened his wings enough to avoid sitting on his longest feathers, then folded them lightly against his back. “I’m not going to change my mind.”

“You-” Laeshiel stopped. He stared down at his desk for a moment before he touched the inkwell and returned it to its previous position. “You’re ignorant of the world, Remiel.” He faced him again, leaning back against the front edge of the desk. He folded his arms across his chest and spread his wings behind him. It was meant to be an intimidating posture, but it lost some of its threat without the belt of weapons around his waist. 

Not that Laeshiel needed weapons if he really wanted to hurt Remiel, but his cousin hadn’t done more than hit him once, when he talked back in front of civilians. 

Granted, Remiel had also asked if Laeshiel was always Abbadon’s puppet, or did the Isten take his hand out of his ass sometimes to allow him to speak for himself. It wasn’t Remiel’s wisest moment, but Laeshiel had been surprisingly gentle with him when he cleaned up his bloodied face later. He even gave Remiel a clean shirt before sending him back to the academy, which at the time, meant more to Remiel than any other gesture the Ahnnak could have shown him. 

“I do not want you to make the same mistakes as your mother,” Laeshiel said. “It was not her love for your father that drove her from Abbadon, it was her refusal to obey orders.”

“Right,” Remiel scoffed. “It had nothing to do with her wanting to marry an Ander.” 

“No, you’re right. It was wanting to marry him that got her in trouble. She wanted children with him. If she had gone off and wasted her time with him until her affections waned, with no attempt to procreate, her transgressions would have been overlooked. You and your siblings are the crime she chose to died for.”

“She didn’t choose to die,” Remiel said sharply. “She was killed.”

Laeshiel’s eyes narrowed. “Is that what you think happened?”

Remiel hesitated. The truth was, he didn’t really know. He’d only heard stories from his older sister. No one else would discuss it with him. “She went to find my father. They were killed coming back into E’din.”

Laeshiel sighed heavily and unfolded his arms. “Do you know how Anders are made?”

Remiel’s wings tightened against his back. “Yes.”

“Then you understand how dangerous the crossing would have been. The wards around E’din are in place to protect us from invasion. They prevent any unauthorized passage across our borders, but Nuriel tended to believe the rules didn’t apply to her. She was a lot like you.”

“Me?” No one had ever compared Remiel to anyone but his Ander father.

Laeshiel nodded. “Stubborn. A waste of potential. Too caught up in her emotional attachment to the present to acknowledge what really mattered.” He pushed off the edge of the desk and walked over to an ewer of water on the table by the wall. He slowly poured two glasses. “Despite that, Nuriel was powerful. Had she been born through Abbadon’s heir, she would have been venerated as a shining example of his line. I believe her pride was her downfall. She may have been strong enough to pass through the borders of E’din on her own, but she could not return with a banished Ander on foot and shield them both. She knew the risks, but she attempted to breach the wards anyway.” Laeshiel brought the glasses back to the desk and handed one to Remiel. “Theirs deaths were her fault.” 

Remiel accepted the glass from him, though he noticed his hand was trembling when he reached for it. He held the water to his chest, not drinking it, but trying to hide his tremors. “I refuse to believe that.” 

Laeshiel sipped some of his water and sat on the edge of his desk. “Whether or not you believe me isn’t really the issue. It’s the truth. Nuriel abandonded her duties to E’din just as she abandonded you and your siblings. She cared for nothing but herself, and in spite of her betrayal, Abbadon has given you a chance to atone for the sin of your birth.”

“ _Atone?_ You’re asking me to give up my freedom,” said Remiel. “You’re asking me to give up Sophie and Zak.”

“What do you think is going to happen to them, hm?” Laeshiel asked. “Healers are a rare resource in E’din. For two of them to be devoted to you, with your tainted lineage, is practically a crime itself. The healing ability rarely passes through Ahnnak. Should you make the mistake of procreating with the girl-”

“I’m not going to have children with Sophie,” Remiel replied sharply. 

Laeshiel’s expression darkened. He did not like being interrupted. “ _If_ you were to make that mistake, your offspring would not be born with the protections of our Isten. Without his approval, any children born of your union would be subjected to a lifetime of shame and suffering. You could be prosecuted for the corruption of a healer.”

“Fiends, Laesh, I know I’m not allowed to have children.” Remiel placed the water on the bench beside him. “It isn’t an issue.”

“Accidents happen.”

“Not with us. We’re careful. I’ve known how to sterilize myself for years.”

“Have you?”

“Nakir hired a medic to see to my education when I hit puberty.” Remiel scowled at the memory. That had been a miserable Harvest at home. “I think if he could have made it permanent, he would have. I am fully aware of how unwanted my genetics are.” 

Laeshiel’s intense pink eyes stared at him a moment, unreadable. The muscle in his cheek twitched as he clenched his jaw. “Your upbringing at Nakir’s hand was not ideal. His behavior the last quarter century has been disgraceful. He wasn’t a stellar example of an Isten’s lineage before that, but at least he was competent.” He sat his water on the desk behind him. “I do not want you to end up like him.”

“Why do you care what happens to me?” Remiel asked. “Is it just because you’re afraid I might embarrass our Isten?”

“You already have, Remiel.” Laeshiel rose and approached him. He stood close enough that Remiel had to tilt his head back at an awkward angle to see his face. “You are young. You can still be forgiven for your mistakes, but you cannot keep acting like a child. I know what really matters to you.”

“You have no clue what matters to me.” Remiel started to lower his head and look away, but Laeshiel caught his jaw and forced him to continue looking up at him. 

“I do know what matters to you, because it is the same thing that matters to your siblings.” He wasn’t hurting Remiel, but the threat was there. “You crave acceptance. You want someone to see the potential in you, and not just the shade of the crimes of your father.” Laeshiel leaned down, bringing his face close to Remiel’s. “I know, because when Torkaiel came to me, I saw the same desperation in him.”

Remiel tried pulling his head back, but Laeshiel held firm. “I’m not like my brother.” 

“No, you’re not. He is loyal.” The General tilted Remiel’s head, revealing the piercings the younger Ahnnak had tried to cover with his hair. “Torkaiel appreciates the gift he has been given. He understands where his power comes from, and who it is there to serve.”

Remiel’s wings fluttered nervously as Laeshiel’s thumb lightly stroked the row of gold rings. “A-Abbadon?”

“E’din,” Laeshiel said softly. “We are here to serve E’din. Your vain self-indulgence has no place among us. You must repent.”

Remiel swallowed hard. “Never.” 

All it would have taken was a flick of the General’s wrist. Neck snapped, spine severed, minutes of paralyzed misalignment leading to death. It would have been that easy. Even if Laeshiel hadn’t let him die, he could have imprisoned Remiel and transported him out of Marut without anyone questioning his authority.

Instead, Laeshiel released Remiel. He took a step back, clearly disappointed. “You would choose a life of humiliation over the honor of serving your Isten?”

“I choose my freedom.” 

“Even if it means you will never have access to your powers again?”

Remiel placed his hand over the manacle on his left wrist. “For Sophie and Zak, I would give up everything.”

“For those two Terran, that is exactly what you are doing.” Laeshiel set his jaw with a disapproving scowl. “I will not release you from the binding.”

That was what Remiel was afraid of. He removed the scarf and held up his arm. His skin was darkly bruised beneath the cold metal. “That’s not fair. I haven’t done anything wrong. You can’t treat me like a criminal.”

“It’s for your own good,” said Laeshiel. “I cannot have a descendant of Abbadon’s line running about E’din unregulated. For as long as you chose to renounce our Isten, you will have your abilities restricted. When you repent and understand your mistake, you will come to me.”

Remiel stood. “I would rather die than be a slave to your Isten.”

“If you’re not careful with your tone, that is exactly what will happen.” Laeshiel tilted his head, and his long burgundy hair fell over his shoulder. “Remiel, I am not trying to be cruel. I’ve been watching over you for years. I’ve done everything I can to protect you.”

“You’re just the closest Ahnnak authorized to deal with me.”

“Is that what you think?”

Remiel’s wings twitched. He tightened them against his back to hide his uncertainty. “You should be happy,” he said, forcing himself to sound confident. “When I leave this office, you’ll never have to see me again.”

“You and I are family, Remiel. You can’t forget about family that easily.” Laeshiel sighed heavily and turned toward his desk. He picked up one of the scrolls and examined the seal. “I was afraid this would be your choice. Is there really no dissuading you from making this mistake?”

“It’s not a mistake.”

Laeshiel rolled his shoulders and settled his wings against his back. “Here.” He turned and handed Remiel the scroll. 

“What is it?”

“Consider it a temporary pardon.” He waited for Remiel to break the seal and begin reading before he said, “Obviously, this isn’t how I wanted this to go, but I’m not willing to give up on you yet. Kai wouldn’t speak to me for a decade if I let you get disowned.”

Remiel glanced up from the scroll. He could barely believe what he was reading. “Kai?”

“Torkaiel.” The usually severe General gave Remiel a brief smile. He folded his arms over his chest. “Among his friends, your brother prefers being called Kai.”

“He does?”

Laeshiel nodded. “He would like to distance himself from the mistakes of his lineage, just as you do.”

“I didn’t realize you were that close to my brother. I mean, I knew you worked together, but…” Remiel looked back down at the scroll, scanning over the order again. He could scarcely believe it.

“Kai is my most trusted confidant,” said Laeshiel, “but that is a position he has earned. I would be lost without him.” His brow twitched slightly. “Well, not lost, but minorly inconvenienced. Annoyed, even.”

Remiel grinned at Laeshiel. “Thank you!” he exclaimed. 

Laeshiel frowned. “Don’t thank me, you little shit. You’re still in a lot of trouble. You let one feather fall out of line and you’re going to face judgment, either by Abbadon, or in Mahat. I won’t save your ass again. ”

Remiel continued smiling. “I swear, I’ll be good.” 

“Right. I’ve heard that before.” He pointed to Remiel’s wrist. “The manacle stays on,” Laeshiel reminded him. “Part of the agreement. Stop trying to resist it, and let your body heal.”

“I’ll try.” He rolled up the scroll and held it tightly.

“You three are on your own,” Laeshiel said sternly. “Don’t expect any help from the family. In fact, it would be in your best interest to avoid drawing attention to yourself again, understood?”

“Yes, cousin,” said Remiel, barely able to keep the squeak of happiness from his voice. Without warning, he threw his arms around his Laeshiel’s neck and hugged him. 

The General was admittedly surprised. He stood there stiffly, wings open behind him. Then he relaxed a little and patted Remiel’s back. “Alright, that’s enough. Get off me.”

Remiel let go and stepped back. He was still grinning. “I’m going to go.”

“Good. Get out of here, kid. I’ve got one more report to write before I can leave this Isten-coddled town and get back to my post in Esh.”

“Tell my brother ‘hi’ for me, Laesh,” Remiel said cheerfully.

“Out,” Laeshiel snapped, “before I change my mind.”

Remiel clutched the scroll to his chest and hurried out the door. He knew he walked from the security compound, but his heart was so light, he felt like he flew out those gates.

***

Remiel burst into the apartment. Zak and Sophie jumped up. The hot tea Zak had been holding spilled over his hand, and he hissed at the burn. Sophie took the cup from him and sat it aside while he shook his hand out. His skin healed faster than the burn could set, but his body still warned him of the pain it caused. 

Sophie met Remiel halfway across the room. She threw her arms around him and held him tightly. “You’d been gone so long! I was afraid you changed your mind!”

“Never,” Remiel said. He kissed her forehead and her cheeks. “I’ll never leave you.” 

“It went well?” Zak walked over, drying his hand on his shirt. He stood beside them a little uncertainly. 

Remiel grabbed him and pulled him into the hug, too. “Better. I’ve been given permission to stay with you.” 

“What?” Sophie gasped.

Remiel released them and held out the scroll. Zak took it and read the words. Sophie grabbed his arm and lowered his hands so she could read it, too. Remiel could tell when they got to the part that mattered, past all the titles and formalities. Their eyes widened. They read the words again.

“‘-is appointed as Sage Guardian in the union of the Terran healers Zophiel and Tzakquiel,’” Zak read breathlessly, “‘for the lifetime of and including all future generations that result in any protected abilities occurring due to the continuation of their healing lineage.’” 

Sophie’s blinked several times in stunned disbelief. “This is a… It’s a…” 

“It’s a military order written by General Laeshiel declaring me the protector of both of you.” Remiel grinned, still elated. “It means I am legally required to stay with you both, as long as you’re together.”

“Together?” Zak’s brow furrowed. He read the scroll again. “What does ‘in the union of’ mean?”

Remiel bit his lip and raised one wing in a crooked shrug. “Um, well, union means…”

“We’re getting married,” Sophie said, snapping out of her stupor. “It means Remiel can stay with us as long as we’re married.”

“ _Married_.” Zak’s wings sagged and he staggered like he was about to pass out. Remiel caught him as he started to drop. Zak blinked up at them both as his vision cleared. “B-But I haven’t even introduced you to my parents.” 

Sophie grinned at him. “Then I guess we should go see them soon, huh?” She looked to Remiel. “That’s the trick isn’t it? Zak and I have to be married, and you can stay with us forever as our protector.”

Remiel nodded. “I think so.”

Zak was able to stand on his own again. “They can’t make this choice for us, can they?”

“No,” Remiel said. “They have no hold over either of you. They can’t make you do anything.”

“But if we don’t?” asked Sophie.

“It’s at the bottom of the scroll.”

Zak stared at the parchment again, getting to the fine print at the bottom. “‘In the event that the Ahnnak Remiel is no longer capable or willing to act as Sage Guardian to the healers Zophiel, Tzakquiel, or their descendants, he will immediately present himself for reassignment with an Isten, an Ahnnak of his lineage, or a military official ranked General or higher. All further orders will be obeyed without dissent.’” Zak looked at Remiel for clarification.

“If I can’t do my job and keep you safe, they own me,” he said.

“Like I need to be protected by you,” Sophie teased. She poked Remiel’s side and he grinned at her. She was probably right about that. 

“So… If Zoph and I don’t get married…?”

“Eventually Laesh will find out and he’ll haul me in.”

“I won’t let that happen,” Sophie declared. She walked up to Zak and took both his hands in hers. He blinked at her a moment, still caught off guard by everything. “Tzakquiel,” she said, looking up into his eyes, “you have been a joy in my life since the first moment I met you. You accepted me and my love for Remiel without hesitation. You completed us in a way that I never could have believed. I cannot imagine my life without you at my side. You are bound to my soul in this life and the next. Will you marry me?”

Zak squeezed her hands. His lower lip trembled. There were tears in his eyes that he tried to fight back. “Y-Yes,” he whispered. 

“Yes?” Her fiery eyes widened.

“Yes,” Zak responded, his voice stronger. He laughed and tears dripped down his cheeks. “Yes. I’ll marry you.”

Sophie squealed with glee and bounced up and down. “We’re getting married!” She jumped into his arms and kissed him. 

Zak spun her around joyously. “We’re getting married!” he exclaimed just as happily. After a moment, he placed her lightly on the floor. “Wait, shouldn’t we get approval from our parents?”

Sophie used her sleeve to dry his cheeks. “It’ll be a fun surprise for them,” she said, grinning wide, even though there were tears in her eyes, too. “After all, we’ve already been bestowed a Guardian by an Isten.” Sophie reached over and grabbed Remiel’s hand, pulling him to them. “How could they possibly refuse?”

Zak grabbed Remiel’s head and kissed his temple. He pressed their foreheads together. He was shaking, overwhelmed with emotion. “Oh, the things I’ll do to keep you with me,” Zak murmured.

“I guess you’ll have to share your bed a little while more,” Remiel replied, trying to keep himself from crying, too. They were happy tears. He was happy. He belonged to them.

With a soft laugh, Zak said, “I think I’m going to need a bigger bed.”

Sophie hugged them both, pressing herself against their sides. “I think we’ll need a bigger apartment.”

Zak looked around the small space. “You may be right, my love.”

“Oh!” Sophie exclaimed. “I was so happy I almost forgot! The manacle! Did he remove it? He can’t expect you to serve as our protector if you can’t use your powers.”

“No, he didn’t remove it,” Remiel said, bringing his left arm up in the middle of them. The metal was still locked around his bruised wrist. He smirked. “But I don’t think its going to be a problem.”

Remiel snapped. The glyphs of the manacle glowed a dull blue, barely activating this time. A flame appeared above his fingertips, small but bright. He held the conjured energy there, pleased with his progress. “No, I don’t think it will be an issue at all.”


	27. Gabriel: 6th Degree of Justice, 596 DE

On a rooftop overlooking Marut, Gabriel and Erem sat with a nearly empty box of food between them. There were only two steamed buns left, stuffed with a sweet plantain mash. Erem handed one to Gabriel, then took the last one for himself.

“I’m surprised you didn’t want to wait for Barach,” Gabriel said. He bit into the steamed bun. The filling was cooler now, and didn’t burn his tongue like the first few had. 

Erem flung his hair from his eyes with a flick of his head. “I wanted to get up here before these sold out. They’re good, aren’t they?”

“Yeah,” Gabriel agreed. “They’re good.”

“There’s limited quantities every week, because they haul the fruit to make the filling up from the southeast border of E’din.” Erem spoke proudly, as if he had hauled them across E’din himself, not just discovered them in a local restaurant. 

“Barach would have liked them, too,” Gabriel said. “He’s going to be annoyed you left him behind.”

“He’ll catch up to us eventually.”

“Yeah, and when he does, you make sure he knows it was your idea to leave without him, not mine.”

Erem snorted. “If we had hung around Archridge waiting for him to finish with the Hunt, he would have stomped up in a bad mood, all-” Erem deepened his voice and puffed up his wings to make himself look bigger, “‘Erem, change of plans. We’re going to stay at the academy and read a book.’” 

Gabriel laughed. That was a pretty good imitation of Barach.

Erem’s wings relaxed. “And then some girl would have come over and convinced you to go have sex with her in a closet-”

“Hey!”

“-and I would be stuck at Archridge on another night that we should all be out partying together.” Erem scrunched his brow and looked at Gabriel very seriously. “I am not going to lose another night of partying because you two are boring.”

“I am not boring,” Gabriel retorted. 

“Uh huh. I had to pry a class book out of your hands to get you out of your room.”

“I was nearly done with the chapter,” Gabriel said defensively. “There’s a text next week.”

“Boring,” Erem sang, drawing the word out. 

Gabriel punched his arm. “Jerk.”

Erem gave him a scandalized gasp while he covered the spot Gabriel hit. “The abuse I suffer to be your friend.”

“You like it.” 

With a grin, Erem said, “Yeah, I do.”

“That’s why you’re going to take the blame when Barach shows up,” Gabriel said. It was hard to hide the smirk that tugged at the corner of his mouth. Erem was such a pain, but Gabriel missed hanging out with him like this. “He’s already been on my back this week about who I’ve been studying with.” 

Erem chuckled and took another bite of his steamed bun. While he chewed it, he said, “He’s been on my back, too. I didn’t think I was going to be able to walk to class this morning.”

“Erem!” Gabriel shoved his friend, nearly pushing him off the edge of the roof. “I don’t want to hear about your sex life!”

“Whatever!” Erem laughed. “I have to hear about your sex life all the time! You’re such a slut, Gabe.”

“Don’t call me that,” Gabriel replied, but it didn’t hold its usual sharpness. They each ate a few more bites before Gabriel asked, “Are you happy? With Barach?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Erem shrugged and stuffed the rest of the bun in his mouth. He chewed it a couple times, then said, “Sex is good. But it’s Barach, you know? He’s always so serious about everything.”

“He’s serious about you.”

“I know. And I love him, but…”

“But?”

Erem sighed. “I miss how much fun we all used to have together. We used to get into so much trouble.”

“I can’t get into trouble anymore,” Gabriel said. “Not at the academy.”

Erem rolled his eyes. “Because your dad will flip out. He’s so lame.”

Gabriel chuckled. There was no one else he knew who was brave enough to call the great Isten Jequn lame. No one else would even dare think it. “Well, we’re not at the academy tonight,” he said. “We could get into a little trouble.”

Grinning, Erem said, “Then let’s get this party started.” He shoved the empty wooden box off the roof. It fell, nearly hitting a Homm passing on the street below. It broke with a crack in front of the man, who jumped back in surprised. He looked up and shook his fist angrily at them.

“Damn, I missed,” Erem laughed. He flipped the Homm a rude gesture, then spun around. He hopped up and walked across the roof. “Coming?”

Gabriel glanced back down at the Homm, who had kicked the broken box off to the side and continued on. “Yeah,” he said. “I’m right behind you.”

***

They arrived at the club shortly after sunset. The days were getting shorter, so it was still early, but there were already a few dozen people inside the converted warehouse. The band was amplified on the stage, and the music filled the air with a beat Gabriel could feel in his chest. 

Erem dragged Gabriel over to the bar. “Starhops,” he said, slapping a silver coin down on the counter.

“I don’t drink that,” Gabriel said, remembering his last encounter with the poison. 

The bartender poured four drinks, which was the amount the thin silver paid for. Erem shoved two of them into Gabriel’s hands, and he had to take them or have the alcohol spill all over his silk brocade tunic. Erem took the other two, and went toward one of the tables near the dance floor.

Gabriel sat across from him and pushed the drinks to Erem. “I’m not drinking.”

“Don’t act like a flat-backed Homm, Gabriel. It won’t kill you.” Erem shoved the drinks back to him. “You said you were going to be fun tonight.”

“I am fun.” Gabriel picked up one of the drinks. The smell of it made his stomach turn. “I just drank too much last time.”

“A couple drinks isn’t going to make you sick.” Erem lifted one of his and drank it quickly. He sat the cup down with a gasp. “It just takes the edge off. Makes it easier to forget about all the stupid shit at Archridge. Don’t make me drink alone.”

Gabriel gave in. He sipped the vile liquor, but was surprised to find it wasn’t as bad as he remembered. He finished the first glass, and Erem grinned at him happily.

“You come here a lot?” Gabriel asked as he reached for the second glass. 

“I’ve met Zoldias here a few times.”

It took Gabriel a moment to place the name. “The Homm?”

“He’s got a wicked sense of humor when he’s drunk. It just takes a little wine, and he starts swearing nearly as much as you do.” Erem drank his second glass. “It’s too bad he doesn’t have wings. He’d almost be worth having around.”

“You like him.”

“I mean, he’s okay, for a Homm.” Erem shrugged. “You ever think about how weird it is that Homm will be halfway through their lives before we’re even considered adults?”

“I doubt my father will ever consider me an adult,” Gabriel replied. The alcohol had filled him with a warmth that made his thoughts feel a little fuzzy. 

“Fiends, how can you stand it?” asked Erem. “The idea of being stuck in some lab, doing what you’re told every day for the rest of your life.” His blond hair swayed by his cheeks as he shook his head. “I would hate to be an heir.”

A spike of rage shot through Gabriel, making his feathers bristle. “It sucks. I hate everything about my father.”

“You should just tell him to fuck off,” said Erem. “Abdicate.”

“I can’t. He’d fucking kill me.” Erem laughed like it was a joke. It wasn’t. Gabriel stood up. “It’s hot in here.”

“You’re not leaving.” Erem stood up, too. “Come dance with me.”

“I don’t dance.”

“Oh, finally, I’ve found something the great heir Gabriel is terrible at.” Erem grabbed his arm and hauled him onto the dance floor. Gabriel was irritated, but he would draw more attention to himself if he didn’t move. He swayed awkwardly with Erem, letting the blue-skinned boy lead while he watched some of the other dancers. 

It wasn’t so much technique, Gabriel realized. It wasn’t about knowing the moves and performing them perfectly. This type of dancing was about sex, and sex was something Gabriel could do.

Gabriel grabbed Erem’s hip and spun him around. He touched his cheek and stared down into his yellow eyes. “If we’re going dance,” he told him, “I lead.”

Erem gulped, the knot in his throat bobbing up and down. “O-Okay.”

They started slow. Gabriel could feel the beat pounding in his chest like a second heartbeat. He held Erem’s gaze as they moved together. Gabriel discovered where he placed his hands on Erem’s body effected the way he moved. He could get Erem to do whatever he wanted, just with a touch.

Gabriel smirked. Dancing was just like sex.

They danced together through the next three songs. Sweat glistened on their skin. Erem was breathless. When the next song ended, Gabriel whispered in his ear, “Let’s get another drink.”

Erem agreed with a nod. They left the dance floor as the next song began. There were more people in the club now. A few Gabriel recognized from the Hunt, though he had no reason to learn their names. Lorcas and Sera still weren’t speaking to him, so as long as he didn’t see them, it was fine. The Hunt's presence here just meant practice was over. Barach would show up soon, once he discovered they left without him. 

They ordered at the bar and had to wait a few minutes to be served. Erem fanned himself with his wings. His skin was flushed purple across his cheeks. “I thought you said you couldn’t dance,” he said.

“First time for everything,” Gabriel replied. 

Erem scoffed. “Fiends, why do you always have to be so perfect?”

“I’m not perfect.” 

Their drinks were served. Erem handed one to Gabriel. “Yes, you are. Everything you do. You make it seem so easy.”

“If these people can do it, how hard can it be?”

Erem rolled his eyes and sipped his drink. “You’re such an ass sometimes.” 

“What did I do?”

“You tell me you don’t dance, then you walk out there and have everyone in the club staring at you in seconds.”

Gabriel sipped his drink. “I didn’t notice.”

“No, of course not. You’re used to it. You’re used to everybody watching you all the time, because you’re an heir. You’re _perfect_.” Erem drank the rest of his drink in one gulp. “Fiends! Why are you so perfect!?” He slammed the glass down, then turned and walked out of the club.

Gabriel blinked. He wasn’t sure what had just happened. He finished his drink quickly then chased after Erem. “Hey! Wait up!”

The air was cooler outside and felt good on his alcohol warmed skin. Gabriel spotted Erem walking up the street and around the corner. He dodged a few people in front of the club, then raced to catch him. 

“Erem, Why’d you leave?”

“I needed air.” Erem didn’t look at him.

“Are you mad?”

“I’m not mad,” he said, and he wasn’t lying.

“Then what?”

Erem turned toward him. “It’s you. I want you to look at me the way you look at everyone else, but I want you to mean it. I want you to love me.”

“You’re my friend, Erem. That means more.” 

Erem grabbed his arm and pulled him into an open yard used to store lumber. The smell of cut wood and sap was overwhelming. It gave Gabriel a headache. 

“I want to mean more to you,” Erem said, looking up into Gabriel’s ice-blue eyes. 

“You have Barach.”

“I don’t care!” he exclaimed. “I want you. I want you to kiss me. Please, Gabriel, kiss me.” He stood on his toes and leaned forward. 

Gabriel placed his hand over Erem’s mouth. “I can’t.” He pushed him back, ignoring the hurt look in his eyes. “You’re drunk, and you’re my friend.” He lowered his hand.

“I don’t care. I would die for you, Gabriel. Please.”

“Barach loves you. Even if he’s irritating, I wouldn’t betray him like that.” 

“I’ll break up with him, if that’s what you want.”

“That’s not what I want! Fiends, Erem, when did you get so desperate?”

“When you started fucking men, and you still won’t look at me.” Erem turned away, his wings opening and closing as they did whenever he was really upset. He crossed his arms and held himself. “Barach wouldn’t care.”

“He would. He does.” Gabriel walked up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “You mean everything to him, and having you both as my friends means everything to me. I don’t want to lose either of you.”

Erem's wings gave a rapid flutter, then stilled against his back. He glanced back. His brow was pinched like he was in pain. “Maybe… Maybe I did have a little too much to drink.” 

“Yeah,” Gabriel agreed. “Starhops will do that to a person.” He smiled at Erem. “We okay?”

Erem nodded and turned toward him. “Yeah, I-” His eyes widened. He was looking behind Gabriel, to the entrance of the yard.

Gabriel turned, half expecting to see Barach there, having heard the whole conversation. Thankfully, it wasn’t anything that bad. 

It was a gang. A few Terran, not much older than them. They had weapons. 

“Academy brats,” drawled one, who was missing one of his front teeth. “Give us your money.” 

“Go to hell!” Erem spat from behind Gabriel.

There were five Terran total. Most of them had visible bruises or cuts. It was obvious they got into fights often. 

“Hey, I’ve seen that blue one with the Hunt,” said one of the Terran on the side.

Another stepped forward. He had the beginnings of a beard growing in on his chin. “You players or groupies?”

“None of your business,” Gabriel growled. 

The bearded man chuckled. “You all come here like you own the place, but these are our streets. You want to keep your pretty wings, you pay up.” 

Erem bristled. “Do you have any idea-”

Gabriel held out his hand, stopping Erem from revealing who they were. “We’re not giving you shit.”

“Then we’ll kick your asses, and take it anyway.” The bearded Terran came forward, unraveling a chain from his belt as he approached. 

“Stay behind me,” Gabriel muttered. He spread his wings, pushing Erem back. “I can take him.”

“You’re not fighting alone,” Erem said. Even without being able to see him, Gabriel knew Erem had knives in his hands by now. He always had knives. 

“Stay behind me,” Gabriel repeated. He let a snap of electricity jump between his fingers, and Erem understood. 

The gang fell into formation behind the bearded Terran. They all held weapons. Metal, gleaming weapons.

“Last chance,” said the leader of the group.

“Fuck you,” Gabriel replied.

The man’s face contorted, and he lunged, just as Gabriel thrust his hand forward. Pure lightning shot through the five Terran, drawn to their weapons. Two of them them dropped to the ground, unconscious and twitching from the blast, but the other three were merely stunned. They remained standing, and when the echo of the blast faded, they were ready to fight.

The bearded Terran dropped his metal chain. It left a scorched pattern around his arm where it touched his skin. He clenched his smoking hand into a fist. “You bastard. You’ll pay for that.” He came at Gabriel fast, and though Gabriel was able to avoid his first punch, his second caught him in the jaw and sent him colliding into a stack of lumber.

Erem sprang forward, knives flashing. The Terran jerked back as a blade sliced open his cheek. He shoved Erem toward the other two. When Erem tried to come back at him, to protect Gabriel, one of the others kicked his knee. Erem hit the ground with a yelp.

Gabriel pushed himself off the lumber. He tasted blood. “Leave him alone.” 

“I’m going to enjoy ripping all your feathers out,” said the bearded Terran.

Electricity crackled across Gabriel’s knuckles. “You’ll have to kill me before I let you touch my wings.”

“Sounds like a plan.” The man attacked Gabriel again, and Gabriel tried to fight back, but the Terran was faster. Being hit by him was like being struck by an auroch. Every punch that landed made his headache worse. He managed one hit against the Terran, and the zap of electricity from his hand to the man’s face sent him stumbling back enough to give Gabriel a little room to breath.

Then Erem screamed in pain. Gabriel turned to look, but his split second of distraction was met with another punch to the face. He abruptly found himself on the ground, blood and dirt in his mouth.

With the pain, clarity filled Gabriel, and suddenly, his headache was gone.

In its place was a pure rage fueled by the desire to bring blood and agony to anyone who dared stand in his way. 

Gabriel rose, face streaked with blood. One of his wings twitched, like a tick holding time with his heart. The Terran said something, but Gabriel couldn’t hear it over the rush of blood in his ears. He felt the air move before the man attacked him again. 

This time, Gabriel dodged. He twisted around and faced the Terran. For an instant, he saw fear and confusion in the man’s eyes, then, Gabriel attacked.

What happened after was kind of a blur. There was a pop of a joint being dislocated. The snap of bones. A scream.

_Ugh, the screaming had to stop_. 

Something cracked beneath Gabriel’s fist. Blissful silence filled the yard for a second before more bodies were on him. They were weaker. Slower. They didn’t stand a chance.

Yellow eyes stared into Gabriel’s face. He had to focus really hard before he could make out the words. “Gabriel, it’s me. Gabriel! I’m okay!”

“Erem?” Gabriel blinked. The cloying scent of blood and sap filled his head. Five people lay unconscious around them. There was a lot of blood.

“We’ve got to go,” said Erem. He held his arm to his chest. It was clearly broken.

“I didn’t do that, did I?” Gabriel asked as he pointed to Erem’s arm.

“No. They did. You took them out before they could break my other arm.” Erem kicked one of the unconscious Terran as he passed. “Fuckers.”

Gabriel followed Erem out of the lumber yard. “Is it bad?”

“No worse than your hand.”

“What?” Gabriel looked down, and was surprised to discover his hand was broken. Two of his fingers wouldn’t move when he tried to open his fist. The skin across his knuckles was split and bruised. The pain didn’t register, even though he knew it should hurt. “What the fuck?” 

Erem looked behind them, then pulled Gabriel onto the stoop of one of the nearby buildings. They sat on the highest step. “Let me see it.”

Gabriel gave Erem his hand without question. “It doesn’t hurt.”

“Uh huh. You’ll feel it later.” Erem spread Gabriel’s hand on his knee, then felt along his bones with his thumb. He found the metacarpal that was snapped and pressed against the swollen skin until it popped back into place. The sound made Gabriel flinch, and then, a couple seconds later, the pain hit him.

“Ow. OW?! Fuck!” Gabriel pulled his hand back and squeezed it against his chest. Now he felt it, and he wished he couldn’t.

“Help me with my arm,” Erem said.

“It’s broken. I’m not a healer,” Gabriel replied.

“I can feel the bones setting wrong.” Erem winced as he held his hand out to Gabriel. “Just hold my wrist. Both hands, please. Squeeze hard.”

Gabriel did as Erem asked, even though he still couldn’t move two of his fingers. “Now what?” he started to ask, but then Erem jerked his shoulder back. His arm stretched, and Gabriel saw the bones shift beneath Erem’s blue skin. “Ah! Fuck!” Gabriel let go.

Erem clutched his arm to his chest again, swearing under his breath. When he looked up at Gabriel, there were tears in his eyes. “T-That’s better,” he said.

Gabriel stared at him, incredulous. Then, without meaning to at all, he laughed. Gabriel pulled Erem to him and hugged him, and he laughed. “You’re crazy.”

Erem leaned against Gabriel’s shoulder. “So are you,” he said, smiling. “You tore those guys apart.” 

“You helped.” 

“No, I didn’t.” Erem looked up at him. “Do you remember?”

“Of course,” Gabriel said, but he was lying. He couldn’t remember at all. The weird thing was, that didn’t bother him. He felt better than he had in months. It was like all the built up stress had left his body in one brutal fight. “You know… We should do this again.”

“Oh?”

“You and me, out like this.” Gabriel smiled at Erem. “It was fun.”

Erem grinned and leaned his head on Gabriel’s shoulder. “It was fun.”

Gabriel licked his lips. “Barach is going to kill us when he finds out, though.”

“Yeah, we’re dead,” Erem agreed. 

They both laughed and sat there in the cool night air. By the time Barach found them, their shock had worn off, and both boys were in enough pain that they didn’t complain when Barach insisted they go to the hospital. 

Despite all that, it really wasn’t a bad night. Gabriel and Erem made plans to go out again, next weekend.


	28. Alex: 15th Degree of Justice, 596 DE

Isa marched into the room and flung his books onto his bed. “Finally! I thought this day would never end. Put your shoes on. We’re going out.”

Alex sat up, almost hitting his head on the ceiling. “Out?” 

“I told Phrasa we’d meet her on the cliffs before sunset.” Isa dug through a pile of dirty laundry in the corner. “It’s going to be cold. Wear layers.”

“I don’t think I should go,” Alex said. He dropped from his top bunk and landed lightly on the stone below. 

Isa glared back at him. “Why? What reason do you have this time?”

Alex’s wings tightened against his back. Isa had been in a bad mood lately. He didn’t know why. He wasn’t even sure if Isa knew why. “I’m not supposed to leave the academy. Besides, Uzzi-”

“I saw him in the hall. He’s going to pick up food with Mace, and they’re meeting us out there.” Isa flung a knit sweater at Alex. “You can’t use him as an excuse not to go, and don’t even think about trying the ‘I’m not allowed to leave the academy’ shit. The cliffs are in academy bounds. Even first year kids fly out there.” Isa resumed digging through the laundry. “Also, I know you sneak out of the academy when you think we’re all sleeping. I’m not stupid.”

Alex held the sweater up to his face. It smelled like Isa, like evergreens and sap. “I don’t think you’re stupid,” he muttered into the wool. He pulled the shirt on, tugging it over his wings and then spreading them through the low opening in the back.

Isa found another sweater and draped it over his shoulder. He kicked over a chair and rifled through the clothes that had been pushed under there. He found another warm shirt, then walked over to Alex. Isa stopped and stared.

“How are you so skinny? My shirt shouldn’t be that big on you.” Isa tugged the sweater up over Alex’s shoulders. His fingers brushed across Alex’s collar bone, lingering on his pale skin for a second. “I guess it’ll do.” He turned away before Alex could make sense of the look in his eyes. On the way to the door, he snatched an oiled bag from the floor. “Let’s go.”

With an uncertain flutter of his wings, Alex stepped into his shoes and followed Isa out into the hall. 

***

Wind whipped up the face of the cliffs, drowning out the children’s whoops and cheers as they stood on an outcropping overlooking the plummet to the ground below. Alex sat further away, with his back to the wall, in a crevice protected against the constant winds. A fire burned brightly beside him. Nakia warmed her hands near the blaze. She grinned wide as she watched their friends screaming at the edge of the stone, wings spread, trying to hold themselves to the ground for as long as they could. 

“You should be out there,” Nakia said. “I would, if I had wings.” 

“I’d rather stay here with you,” Alex said. He rubbed his arms, grateful for Isa’s sweater. The temperature had dropped quickly after the sun went down.

“If I didn’t know any better,” Nakia said with a smirk, “I would say you were afraid of heights.”

Alex frowned. “It’s not the heights. It’s the game.” 

Just then, Phrasa lost balance as a strong gust filled her wings, sending her up into the air, feet over wings. She twisted, but couldn’t right herself against the relentless gale. Mace shot up, grabbed Phrasa’s leg, and straightened her out before they could both be dashed against the sharp rocks above them. 

They flew back together, laughing at what could have been a bone breaking accident. They came to the fire to warm up. 

_I can’t feel my wings_ , Phrasa signed. She grinned and huddled close to the fire. _You should try it, New Moon. It’s fun._

_Pass_ , Alex signed with a dismissive wave of his hand. 

Mace rubbed Phrasa’s arms to warm her up. “You’re so boring, New Moon. Even Dagger jumped from the cliffs at the cairn.”

“You were there to catch me,” Nakia reminded her. “And don’t be mean to Alex. He doesn’t have to jump if he doesn’t want to. It’s okay to be scared.”

“I’m not scared,” Alex said, sharply signing the words as he spoke them. _I just don’t like the game. It’s dangerous._

_You know he would catch you if you fell,_ Phrasa replied.

_Who?_

Phrasa smirked. _Who do you want to catch you?_

Alex rolled his eyes and looked away from her, but her could see her laughing from the corner of his vision.

Uzzi and Isa remained at the edge of the cliff for a little while longer. It was clear when Isa got bored with the game, because he pushed Uzzi. The fiery boy toppled off the edge, then shot past them on an updraft. He got himself straighted out before he was in any danger, but when he caught up to Isa walking back, he was furious.

“You jerk! You don’t shove people off the cliff,” Uzzi yelled.

“Whatever. I won.” 

“You cheated, you fiend-sucking wood imp. I hope you get splinters up your dick.” He shoved Isa, and Isa immediately turned around and shoved him back.

Mace went over and pulled them apart before they could really start to fight. “Knock it off, or I’m dropping you both off the cliff,” she said. “And then I’m going to throw your dessert in the fire.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” Uzzi exclaimed, outraged at the suggestion. 

“Try me, Inferno. I hope you like the taste of charcoal.” 

Isa jerked away from her and walked over to the fire. He sat on the stone next to the bag he brought up from the room. “I think we should play a different game. A new game.” 

_What type of game_? Phrasa asked.

The smirk Isa got was one Alex knew. It meant whatever the boy said next, Alex wasn’t going to like. When Isa reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle of wine, Alex’s suspicions were reaffirmed.

“It’s a two part game. You pass the bottle, take a drink, and then you get to ask someone a question. They have to answer honestly, and if they don’t, they have to take two drinks.”

Uzzi sat down next to Alex. “How do you prove is someone is telling the truth?”

“You planning on lying already, Inferno?” Isa snapped at him.

“I’m not going to lie. I don’t cheat, like some people!” 

“Boys! Knock it off, or I start burning cakes,” yelled Mace. She sat close to Phrasa, so their wings overlapped behind them.

Uzzi stuck his tongue out at Isa, but didn’t say anything else.

Isa held up the bottle. “If there’s any doubt you’re telling the truth, it’s considered a lie, and you drink. Also, you can’t question the same person each round.”

“I don’t want to play,” Alex said.

“Not an option,” Isa retorted with a hard look. 

“Sounds fun!” Nakia said with an excited wiggle. “Who goes first?” 

“I will.” Mace reached passed Phrasa and took the bottle from Isa. She pulled the cork out with her teeth. She drank, then gasped and blinked rapidly. “Whoa. Okay. Isa. Where’d you steal the alcohol?”

He grinned, pleased with himself. “My uncle Masi. I smuggled it out of his stash when I was home during the Harvest.”

Mace laughed. “You’re going to be dead when you go back at the end of the month.” 

“I doubt he’ll even notice.” 

Mace passed the bottle to Phrasa. She took a drink, then waved her hand at her face while she held the alcohol in her mouth. “Too strong?” Mace asked her.

_It’s fine_ , Phrasa signed while she made a sour face. She managed to swallow it. She gasped and stuck out her tongue. _Dagger. Have you ever kissed a boy?_

Nakia leaned forward and squinted at Phrasa’s hands, trying to keep up. “Sure, I’ve slapped plenty of boys,” she said.

“ _Kiss_ ,” Mace said quickly. “She asked if you kissed a boy.” 

“Oh.” Nakia sat back. “Then no.”

“You’ve never been kissed?” Isa asked in surprise.

Nakia’s eyes gleamed. She got dimples at the corners of her mouth when she smiled mischievously like that. “I said I’ve never kissed a _boy_.” 

Everyone laughed. “Fair enough,” Isa said with a chuckle. The bottle came to him next. He drink some with only a slight grimace. “Alright… Uzzi.” 

“What.” Uzzi tensed, already prepared to fight Isa over this.

“You ever jack off while thinking of someone in this circle?” Isa asked. 

“Ew!” Mace exclaimed. “You can’t ask something like that.”

“Too late. The question is out there! He’s got to answer, or drink.” Isa waved the bottle at Uzzi.

“You bastard,” Uzzi grumbled. “No, I haven’t.”

“I think you’re lying.”

“You can’t prove that I’m lying.”

“And you can’t prove that you’re not.” Isa handed him the bottle. “Drink.”

Uzzi glared at him, but took the bottle. He drank once, pulled back, made a face, then drank again. He started to pass the bottle to Alex, but Isa said, “No, now it’s your turn. Drink again.” 

Taking a deep breath, Uzzi took a third drink. He coughed and held the bottle out from him. “That’s terrible!”

“Stop whining. Pick someone and ask a question.”

Glaring venomously at Isa, Uzzi said, “Phrasa, how do you sign, ‘choke on a warty dick and die’?”

Phrasa’s face turned red as she showed Uzzi the vulgar sign. Uzzi shoved the bottle into Alex’s hands, then immediately repeated the sign at Isa, adding an extra vulgarity to the end of it that made even Isa’s brow raise. 

“Real mature,” Isa replied. “Alex, it’s your turn.”

“Do I have to?”

“Yes,” Isa said firmly.

Alex brought the bottle to his lips and swallowed some of the alcohol. It burned down his throat and into his stomach, even though it didn’t taste like anything. He lowered the bottle and held it out to Nakia as he said, “Mace. What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Isa snorted. “That’s a lame question.”

“It’s a good question,” Mace snapped back. She looked at Alex. “I’m going to take over my parent’s farm. We have an apple orchard and a field for vegetables.”

_It’s very pretty there,_ signed Phrasa. Mace nodded, smiling slightly.

Nakia took a drink, then leaned back from the bottle, blinking rapidly. “I’ve never tasted wine like this,” she said. 

“It’s Terran wine,” said Isa. “It’s probably a little stronger than anything Homm drink.”

“Yeah, definitely.” Nakia blinked rapidly. “Okay. Um. Phrasa. Are you and Mace dating?”

Both Terran girls froze. All eyes were on them, and nobody spoke for nearly a minute. Nakia laughed nervously. “Sorry. I, um, didn’t realize it was that much of a secret.” 

_It’s not. It’s not a secret. I- We-_ Phrasa’s hands fluttered as she stumbled over the signs to find the ones she was looking for.

“Yes,” Mace answered for her. “We’re together.” She glared balefully at Isa and Uzzi. “I better not here you say one bad thing about it, or I’ll knock your teeth out.”

Uzzi held up his hands. “I’m cool with it.”

Isa rolled his eyes. “Who cares? Mace, it’s your turn again.”

Nakia handed Mace the bottle with an apologetic smile. “It’s fine,” Mace said. She looked at Uzzi, getting serious. “Alright, Inferno. Did you steal my fig pudding in third year?”

Uzzi stood up, wings popping open behind him. “You’re still not going to let that go?!”

Mace stood, glaring at him over the fire. “I know it was you, you little thief.”

Uzzi’s lip curled back in a sneer. “Yeah,” he said, voice low. “It was me. I did it, and I’d do it again. It was fucking delicious!”

“You jerk! I brought that from home!” 

“Then you shouldn’t have brought it to class!”

Phrasa pulled Mace back down beside her before she could jump the fire and attack Uzzi. Mace sat with a pout, crossing her arms sullenly over her chest.

Uzzi folded his puffed up wings and sat beside Alex again. Heat radiated from him. He was nearly as warm as the fire. 

Phrasa took the bottle and drank. She snapped her fingers, until Alex stopped staring at Uzzi and looked at her. _New Moon. Do you like boys or girls?_

Alex glared at her, but she just gave him an innocent smile. _Neither_ , he answered her sharply.

_You have to pick_.

“Yeah, it’s just a game, Alex,” said Uzzi. That wasn’t what Alex needed to hear, not from him.

“If you don’t answer, you have to drink,” Isa said, watching Alex closely. 

“Fine,” Alex grumbled. He held out his hand, and Phrasa handed him the bottle. He upended it once and drank, then tilted it up again. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and passed the bottle to Isa. It was his turn.

Isa brought the bottle to his lips with deliberate slowness. He drank, though there wasn’t a lot of wine left. That was probably good. Alex could feel it spreading through his body. He felt too warm, which was strange for being on the edge of the cliffs.

“Alex,” Isa said, locking eyes with him. “Where do you go at night after everyone is asleep? If you don’t answer this time, you have to finish the bottle.” 

He already felt strange, so he didn’t want to do that, but he wasn’t about to tell everyone the truth. Well, maybe he didn’t need to tell them the _whole_ truth.

“If anyone finds out, I’m going to be in so much trouble.” 

“None of us will tell,” said Mace.

_I won’t say a word_ , Phrasa signed with a smile. 

Alex bit his lip. “I… I go see Remi, in Marut.”

“You do?” asked Uzzi, the red dots of his eyebrows raised. “Why would hide that from me? I’ll go with you-”

“I just miss him.”

“I don’t. I’m glad he’s gone,” said Isa. He held up his hands when Phrasa glared at him. “What? No, not like that. I’m not _glad_ he was expelled. He was just so bossy. He never let us do anything fun. He definitely would have stopped us from coming out here tonight.”

Alex looked down at his grey nails. That was exactly why he missed Remiel.

Uzzi held his hand out to Isa. “Don’t be an ass. Remi didn’t deserve to be expelled. He cared about us. He was the only reason I got out of the remedial class.” 

Isa handed him the bottle. “Yeah, well, I think you still belong there.” Phrasa smacked Isa’s knee, and he looked at her and signed, _What?! I’m not talking about your girlfriend. Don’t give me that look._

Phrasa’s lips pursed and she glared Isa down angrily. He signed a quick apology to her, though the look on his face made it clear that he didn’t really mean it.

“Isa,” said Uzzi, drawing the other boy’s attention back to him. “Why don’t you know who your dad is?”

Isa’s expression hardened. “My mom never told me.” 

“So she doesn’t know? Did she just sleep around with every man she met until she had you?” 

Feather’s bristling, Isa said, “Shut up. Don’t you dare talk about my mother that way.”

Uzzi sneered at Isa. “Are your uncles really your uncles, or are they just more men your mom-” 

Isa punched Uzzi. Absolutely nobody at the campfire was surprised, and nobody did anything to pull the boys apart for a few minutes. When Mace finally separated the two, Uzzi’s nose was bleeding, Isa had a black eye, and they were both so angry they wouldn’t look at each other. 

Alex lifted the bottle and drank. There was only a tiny bit left. He looked at Nakia. “So what do you miss from home that you can’t get in E’din?”

Nakia smiled. “I miss my little brother. Of all the things I thought I would miss, I never thought it would be him. Oh, and this pudding our chef made every year on my birthday. I miss that.”

“Birthday?” Uzzi asked, his voice thick with the blood that drained down his throat.

“Um, yeah… So, in my kingdom, we count our age from the day we were born. Like, I was born on the seventh of Predators. That’s officially when I turned twelve, even though everyone in E’din counts it from the beginning of the year.” Nakia looked between them. “Do none of you know the day you were born?”

Nobody said anything for a bit. They just looked at each other awkwardly. Isa scoffed. “Why would I know the day I was born? It’s not like I would remember it. I was a baby.”

Nakia laughed nervously. “Right. I know. It’s stupid.”

Alex passed her the bottle. There wasn’t more than half a swallow in it, and Nakia finished it. “Mace,” she said.

“Hm?” Mace raised and eyebrow and looked at the princess, expectant. 

“Why haven’t you tested out of the remedial class yet?”

“I don’t want to,” she said. “It’s not important.”

“How can it not be important?”

Mace shrugged. “It’s just not. Symbols in books don’t make sense to me. It’s like they shift around on the page. Sitting down and reading scrolls night after night just feels like torture to me. I’m fine where I’m at.” She grinned. “Besides, when I join the Hunt, it won’t matter.”

“You’re going to join the Hunt?” Alex asked, eyes wide. 

“I’m going to be the first girl to be an aerial bruiser for Archridge,” she said confidently. “Maybe one day, I’ll even be Wing Commander. Or Captain.” Mace grinned.

“Be careful,” Alex whispered.

“Of course they’ll let you on the team,” said Uzzi. “They always need another beast to hit in practice.”

“You’re getting your ass kicked,” Mace said, then she stood, and Uzzi couldn’t run fast enough. 

***

By the time Uzzi was dragged back over to the fire with his nose bleeding fresh and a black eye to match, everyone else had eaten the desserts saved from their dinners. The alcohol was definitely taking effect on all the students, especially Nakia, though she drank the least. 

Uzzi pouted when he saw that Isa had taken his place on the seat beside Alex. He pressed his sleeve against his nose as he walked over. “That’s my seat.”

Isa looked up at him without sympathy. “You were gone. It’s my seat now. Go sit down.” He motioned to the rock he had been sitting on before. “We’re going to start the next game.”

“There’s more?” asked Alex.

Isa smiled at him. “The next one isn’t nearly so hard.”

Uzzi grumbled unhappily and sat on the rock, glaring at Isa the whole while. 

Mace pulled out the last two desserts. She whistled to get Uzzi’s attention, then tossed him one. “You’re lucky,” she said. “I should have thrown it in the fire.”

“That fire isn’t hot enough to hurt me. I could have pulled it out,” he replied. “But thanks.”

She nodded to him, their fight forgotten, and they both finished their desserts.

While those two ate, Isa held up the empty bottle. “Next game,” he declared. “Simple. You spin. You kiss whoever the top points to.” 

“Spin the bottle?” said Mace. “Are you shitting me? That’s a baby’s game.”

Alex’s wings tightened against his back. He started to stand, but his head spun. He sat back down, dizzy, pressing his palms against his temples. “I don’t want to play,” he groaned.

“It’s just a game,” Isa said. “You can’t back out. Besides, kissing during a game doesn’t count.”

“Yeah, Alex, it’s just a game.” 

Alex looked up. It was Uzzi who had said that. He wouldn’t meet Alex’s gaze. _Just a game._ Is that what Uzzi really thought?

“Fine. I’ll play.” 

“Great.” Isa handed the bottle to Nakia. “You get to go first, since you finished the bottle.”

“Sure,” she said. It took her a moment to take the bottle from him. She was staring at her hands like she’d never seen them before. She carefully placed the bottle on the stone beside the fire and gave it a twist. They all watched it spin like it was the most important thing in the world.

The bottle slowed and aimed at Phrasa. The Terran girl smiled. She stood, walked over to Nakia, and bent down. Their lips barely touched, and then both girls laughed. Phrasa went back to her seat. She patted Mace’s leg affectionately. 

Mace took the bottle next. “This is dumb,” she declared as she set the bottle to spinning. There was enough force behind it that it wasn’t going to stop for a while. Alex closed his eyes and listened to the sound of the glass spin on the rock, but he couldn’t watch it. It made him feel dizzier.

The sound slowed finally and stopped. Uzzi groaned. He got up and met Mace halfway around the fire. They both stared at each other, noses wrinkled. Slowly, like they were being asked to lick mud from the back of a toad, they leaned in toward each other. Alex wasn’t sure if they actually kissed, but they both recoiled from each other at the same moment. 

“Yuck!” Mace exclaimed. She dragged her palm over her mouth. 

“Gross!” Uzzi said, rubbing his lips against his sweater.

_My turn_ , signed Phrasa. She didn’t apply as much force on the turn as Mace, and it stopped fairly soon. It pointed at Isa. 

With a dramatic flourish, Isa hopped up. “My lady.” He held out his hand. 

Playing along, Phrasa placed her hand his in, and fanned herself like she was going to faint. Isa spun her around and dipped her back, then leaned in for an impressive kiss. 

Except, Isa’s mouth pressed against Phrasa’s neck and he blew out air. It made a loud noise that should have been embarrassing, but it just made Phrasa laugh. She swatted his chest, and he stood her up. He placed a quick, sweet kiss on her lips, and sent her back to Mace.

“It’s a game,” Isa repeated, smiling at Alex as he took his seat beside him. “It’s okay to have fun.” 

“You’re really close with Phrasa.”

“I grew up with her. She’s not so bad. For a girl.” Isa nudged Alex’s shoulder with his, and despite himself, Alex smiled.

Uzzi spun next. When the bottle stopped, it was pointing at Isa. Uzzi frowned. “Now what?”

Isa stood. “We fight for dominance.” 

Uzzi’s wings popped open as he rose, ready to fight. “You’re kidding.”

“I’m kidding, Inferno. Fiends, you’re so gullible.” He stepped forward and placed a quick kiss on Uzzi’s lips. It was so fast, Uzzi didn’t even respond. Isa stepped back with a grin and said, “We all know I’m the dominate one anyway.” 

“You asshole,” Uzzi said as he swung his fist at the other boy’s face. Isa ducked, and shoved Uzzi back to his seat on the stone.

“Calm down. I’m joking.” Isa picked up the bottle and brought it back over with him when he sat next to Alex. “My turn.” He spun it on the stone, and it went around several times before it began to slow. It wobbled a little before it finally stopped, pointing at Alex. 

“Not fair,” said Uzzi. “You rigged it.”

“Don’t be paranoid,” Isa replied sharply. “It’s just a game.” He turned to face Alex. “Right? We’re just having fun.”

Alex nodded, even though he felt like his stomach was in his throat. He could see Uzzi watching from behind Isa, but the fiery boy didn’t do or say anything to stop Isa. 

Isa cupped Alex’s cheek and leaned in. Their lips touched. Isa was gentle with him, even as the kiss lingered far longer than any of the others had.

“Hey!” Mace shouted. “Break it up! Let the boy breath!”

Isa pulled back, giving Mace a very annoyed look. Alex’s skin flushed, his cheeks turning bright with embarrassment and alcohol. He hid his face in his hands and folded over his knees. He couldn’t believe he had just kissed a boy in front of everyone.

“We’re going to skip Alex’s turn,” Isa said with a chuckle. He tossed the bottle to Nakia. “He’s still fair game if you land on him, though.” 

Nakia gave it a spin. When it stopped on Uzzi, she frowned. “What if I refuse?”

“You can’t refuse,” said Isa.

“I’m a princess. I can refuse anything.”

“Fine, _princess_. Anyone who refuses can walk off the cliff instead.” Isa smirked. 

“Fine.” Nakia stood. She glowered at Isa as she walked toward Uzzi. Alex raised his head enough to watch. Uzzi rose, a little intimidated by the Homm princess as she neared. 

Then, without hesitation, Nakia turned and sprint toward the edge of the stone. She flung herself into the air, arms spread wide, as if she could fly. She dropped from sight.

For a heartbeat, everyone sat there, too shocked to register what had just happened. Then it hit, and everyone panicked. 

“Fuck!” Alex shot across the stone and dove over the edge after Nakia. The winds tore at his feathers, trying to slow his fall. He tightened his wings against his back, creating as little air resistance as possible as he dropped. 

Nakia was limp, still falling, when Alex reached her. He wrapped his arms around her head and back, protecting her spine in the instant he thrust open his wings. Their bodies jerked upward, and she nearly slipped out of his grasp, but he held on. The ground, which had been so close, pulled away from them as he climbed higher to safety. 

“Alex?” the princess murmured as he laid her in the grassy field above the cliffs. “I just had the most wonderful dream. I could fly.”

Alex pressed his forehead against hers. He could smell the wine on her breath, but it smelled strange on her. “You can’t fly, Nakia. I caught you.”

“My hero,” she mumbled happily. Her eyes fluttered closed and she passed out. She was safe, but unconscious. For that, Alex was grateful.

Phrasa, Mace, and Isa arrived together. Phrasa immediately came over and started checking Nakia for damage. Mace stood over them, a worried crease in her brow. 

Alex angrily rose and stalked toward Isa. “What was in that wine?” he demanded.

Isa took a step back. “What?” 

“The wine. What was it?!” 

Isa blinked rapidly, not used to being accosted by the thin, black-haired boy. “It’s a, um, mushroom wine.” 

“What type?!”

“I-I don’t know!”

Alex’s wings bristled. He shoved Isa’s chest, and the boy stumbled back a few steps. “Some mushrooms are poisonous to Homm!” he shouted. “How could you let her drink a Terran wine without knowing what was in it?!”

“I didn’t think it would hurt her!” Isa’s brow furrowed. “You can’t blame me for this! She ran off that cliff herself!” 

“ _You_ could have killed her. It’s _your_ fault.” Alex spun and stomped away from Isa. The boy stood there, stunned, until Uzzi landed beside him.

“Fire’s out,” said Uzzi. “What happened?”

Isa’s wings snapped open. He punched Uzzi in the arm. “Shut up. Why are you so stupid?” He flew away in a flurry of wings.

Uzzi rubbed his arm and stared at Alex in shock. “What did I do?”

“Nothing,” Alex said. “It’s not your fault. We need to take Nakia to the medic so they can make sure she’s okay.”

“I’ll carry her,” said Mace. She gently picked the Homm girl up, though Nakia started to wake. 

Alex squeezed her hand. “It’s okay. I’m not leaving your side,” he assured her. She relaxed again, and then they all flew down to the academy medic together.

***

Medic Haniel was understandably upset. She took over Nakia’s care as soon as they brought her in. She ushered everyone out of the room, but Alex insisted that he stay with his friend. Haniel didn’t argue with him after she saw the determined look on his face.

The diagnosis was a hallucinogenic mushroom. The sediment at the bottom of the bottle, which Nakia had finished, would have given her enough of a dose to trigger a reaction. That, combined with an alcohol content twice what was recommended for a fully grown Homm, explained her erratic behavior. 

It wasn’t deadly, at least, but they were all in a lot of trouble. Drinking on academy grounds was a serious offense, and Headmaster Iscriel would be notified first thing in the morning.

After extracting as many of the toxins from the princess as she could, Medic Haniel allowed Nakia to be taken to her own room to rest. One of the academy guards helped relocate her. Alex followed right on the guard’s heels, and stayed in Nakia’s room until she woke.

The princess called Alex to her. He came, and when she pulled him into bed with her, he didn’t protest. He wrapped his arms around his friend and held her while she resumed sleeping off the rest of the poison in her system. 

Alex lay beside her, the fear of what would have happened if he had been a second slower keeping him awake until morning.


	29. Gabriel: 26th Degree of Justice, 596 DE

“You know, you’re not cute when you keep avoiding me.”

Those were the first words Lorcas said to Gabriel after a month, and they immediately made Gabriel angry.

“I’m avoiding you?! You forbid Sera from talking to me because you’re so self-centered and insecure that you couldn’t trust her to not leave your sorry ass for something better.” 

Lorcas’ brow twitched. “You’re not better than me, baby.” 

“A scummy rock at the bottom of the pond is better than you,” Gabriel snapped back. 

Then, Lorcas’ hand was on his throat and their mouths were pressed together. Gabriel threw his arms around the Huntsman’s neck and fisted his hair. He returned Lorcas’ kiss hard, trying to show him how much he missed him even if he would never be able to say the words. 

Maybe Lorcas understood. Maybe he didn’t. Either way, then ended up in Gabriel’s room, on his bed, their shed clothes thrown across every piece of furniture. 

Penetration was rough, as there was no balm stored in Gabriel’s room to ease the act. He grit his teeth and endured the pain, but there was little he could do until his body accepted the intrusion and surrendered. Lorcas was merciless at first, as he always was, but then he slowed. He buried himself inside Gabriel and kissed him with more tenderness than he had ever shown before. He whispered words that left Gabriel shaking, even if they could never be true.

When they were both a sticky mess, tangled in Gabriel’s sheets, Lorcas stroked his silver hair and held him in his arms. “I’m sorry,” the Huntsman whispered.

“For what?” Gabriel asked, tense, expecting the worst.

“What I said during the Harvest. I was angry, but I wasn’t angry at you.”

“You seemed plenty pissed at me.”

“Well, you have a way of bringing out the best in people.” Lorcas smiled at Gabriel. “But seriously, I was just mad about the Hunt. My Isten. Barach. Hul. Everything that is outside my control. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”

“You think I’m something you can control?”

“I would have better luck controlling the wind.” Lorcas’ fingers drew light circles on Gabriel’s bare shoulder. “I thought it would be easier to keep you away.”

Gabriel lay against Lorcas’ chest, listening to his heartbeat. “What changed?”

“Someone told me you were sad. And no matter how I tried to get you out of my head, I couldn’t.” 

“Who said that?” Gabriel’s silver brow furrowed. “Sera?”

Lorcas smiled at him, but he avoided answering the question directly. “She misses you, too. She thinks I’m being immature. She won’t even look at me most days, and refuses to visit my room.”

Gabriel traced one of the red welts his nails had left on Lorcas’ chest. “So you came to me because she cut you off and you were horny.” 

“Hey, I’m not desperate for sex, unlike some people.” Lorcas grabbed Gabriel and rolled so the silver-haired boy was pinned to the bed beneath him. He gazed down into Gabriel’s glacial blue eyes. “I could have anyone I want, whenever I want.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Because I want _you_.” 

Before Gabriel could respond, Lorcas kissed him. It was deep and passionate, and left Gabriel without the air to gasp when the Huntsman entered his body again. The long, slow thrusts filled him, almost too much to bear, but Gabriel endured it. He would take anything the Huntsman gave him, because the only time he felt like himself was when they were together.

The connection he had with the other boy, whether built out of love or hate, stripped away any ability Gabriel had to hide himself. Lorcas saw him. He saw passed all the pretenses and lies, and saw who Gabriel truly was. 

And sometimes, if Gabriel caught a glimpse of his reflection in those intense grey eyes, he could almost remember the boy he used to be.

***

Gabriel’s ass hurt. Lorcas made him come to dinner anyway, and was doting on him in a way that was completely obnoxious and embarrassing. He carried Gabriel’s tray. He helped him step over the bench to sit beside him. He even insisted on holding Gabriel’s hand beneath the table, as if no one around them would notice. Gabriel glared at him, but Lorcas just smiled that infuriating smile and continued acting like a moron.

They ate at the table with the higher ranked members of the Hunt, and though no one mentioned it, Gabriel knew they were all aware of what had gone on that afternoon. If it hadn’t been obvious by the way Lorcas was acting, it was undeniable by the way Gabriel smelled. Lorcas’ scent saturated his system, and even their quick shower wasn’t enough to get it off him. It was humiliating. The Terran might as well have claimed him in front of the whole damn academy.

When Sera entered the dining hall and saw Gabriel sitting beside Lorcas, her eyes lit up and her wings fluttered. Otherwise she did a good job of hiding her surprise. She carried her tray to the table and paused by Lorcas long enough to interrupt his conversation with Cariel. She kissed his cheek, and they shared a small smile before she continued on. Sera sat on the other side of Gabriel, instead of taking her place beside Lorcas as she normally would. 

“Welcome back,” she whispered to the silver-haired boy, her lavender eyes alight with excitement.

“Wasn’t really my choice to leave,” Gabriel grumbled, his embarrassment making him sound grumpier than he really was. “You didn’t have to ignore me too, you know, just because he told you not to talk to me.” 

Sera’s sweet smile tightened imperceptibly. “Ahnnak Gabriel, do not act for one second like you are innocent in all this.” She spoke low, so no one else would know they were exchanging anything other than pleasant conversation. “I warned you about speaking to him after that game, and yet you just had to open your mouth. The things you said to him were unacceptable, and I bet you haven’t even thought to apologize.”

Gabriel tried to hold Sera’s unyielding, stern gaze, but she was right. He hadn’t apologized for anything. And maybe it was possible that a _teeny, tiny_ bit of the rift between him and Lorcas was his own fault. 

But just a little. 

Barely anything at all. 

Hardly even worth mentioning. 

It was definitely mostly Lorcas’ doing.

Gabriel lowered his eyes. He squeezed the Huntsman’s hand beneath the table, and Lorcas turned from the tactical conversation he was having with his Vice-Captain to give Gabriel a smile.

“What do you need, baby?”

“I’m sorry about what I said,” Gabriel mumbled, unable to look into his grey eyes. 

Lorcas squeezed Gabriel’s hand back.“If you apologized every time you said something offensive, it’d be the only thing you ever said.”

The corner of Gabriel’s mouth twitched. “Jerk.”

Mischievously, Lorcas leaned over and touched his lips to Gabriel’s ear. “Besides, I can think of a better way for you to use that mouth to apologize,” he whispered.

Gabriel’s cheeks burned. One of the Huntsmen across from Lorcas, Air Commander Dukaniel, quickly averted his eyes, finding something very interesting to stare at on the other side of the room. 

_Fiends, had he heard that?_ Damn these sharp-eared, perceptive Terran. It was impossible to hide anything from them.

Lorcas laughed and turned back to Cariel, where he continued his previous conversation as if it had never been interrupted.

Sera raised a knowing eyebrow at Gabriel’s flushed reaction and handed him a peeled section of citron. “Better keep your strength up,” she said.

“Y-Yeah,” Gabriel muttered, and ate the fruit.

***

Gabriel and Sera left the dining hall to wait by the balcony, where the air was cool. They both leaned on the edge and looked up at the night sky. Lorcas was still inside, arguing tactics with Cariel, Duke, and Pon-Pon, and would probably be a while.

“Is it always like this?” Gabriel asked Sera as they watched the twinkling stars above. 

“What do you mean?”

“When he’s sorry.”

“I suppose.” She smiled wistfully as she rested her chin on her hands. Her wings slowly fanned the air behind her, making the light layers of her skirts swirl around her legs. “I think this is who he really is, without all the pressure to succeed weighing him down. He’s sweet, and attentive, and charming-”

“It won’t last,” Gabriel said.

Sera sighed, though her smile remained unchanged. “It never does.”

The sadness Gabriel saw in Sera’s eyes made his chest feel tight. “Why do you put up with it?”

“We’re meant to be together,” Sera said without hesitation. “He drives me crazy sometimes, but I love him, and I know he loves me.” She lowered her eyes, looking down at the pool of water, where the surface was calm, away from the rush of the waterfall. “And he’ll need me. When all this is over, when he’s served his time, he’ll still need me, and I’ll be there to put him back together.” 

“You’re really going to wait a hundred years for him?” Gabriel asked quietly.

“If he wins the next Hunt, it’ll be eighty years, but yes. I would have waited the full two hundred years. I would wait my whole life for him if I had to.”

“Why?”

Sera stood up straight and turned to Gabriel. She gave him a warm smile as she lightly touched his cheek. “For love, Gabriel. I hope one day you understand what it feels like, otherwise your life is going to be very long and lonely.”

Lorcas and his Huntsmen emerged from the dining hall, still loudly arguing about strategy. As they neared Sera and Gabriel at the balcony, the Captain broke off from the group. 

“We’ll finish this later,” he called after Cariel, “but you know I’m right!”

“We’ll see, Captain,” she replied curtly, then waved over her shoulder and continued on with the others.

Lorcas draped an arm over Sera’s shoulders as he watched his teammates walk away. “She’s going to make a good captain,” he said fondly. “Maybe even better than I was.”

“You’re still Captain,” Sera reminded him. “Don’t give up yet. Besides, you’ve got more wins than any other Captain in the history of Archridge.”

Lorcas chuckled and grinned down at Sera. “True. But I couldn’t have done it alone.” He lightly kissed her before turning to face Gabriel. “So? You ready to go? I want to hear more about this apology you mentioned at dinner.” 

Gabriel’s wings bristled at the casual way Lorcas expected to get more from him today. “Haven’t you had enough?”

“Of watching you apologize? Never.” Lorcas’ grin was salacious. “I love seeing you on your knees before me.” 

“Asshole.” Gabriel’s skin felt hot. He turned and walked away before the Huntsman could see him blush in the moonlight. 

Lorcas ran after Gabriel. Sera trailed behind, watching them with a small smirk. 

“Come on, baby, I’m joking,” said the Huntsman. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re not funny,” Gabriel grumbled.

“I know.” Lorcas put his arm across Gabriel’s shoulders as he had done with Sera. “Let me make it up to you. Anything you want tonight, it’s yours.”

“Anything?” Gabriel looked over at him, a silver eyebrow raised. 

The corners of Lorcas’ eyes crinkled when he smiled. “For you, baby boy? Anything.” 

With that promise, Gabriel agreed to join Sera and Lorcas in the Huntsman’s room. By the end of the night, the three of them were all so exhausted they could barely move. They lay in a tangle of wings and limbs in Lorcas’ crowded bed, but Gabriel was content in the knowledge that he wasn’t the only one going to sleep with a sore ass.


	30. Barachiel: 8th Degree of Blight, 596 DE

The last thing Barach wanted to hear was that Gabriel and Lorcas had resumed their affair, but if he had to hear it, he expected it to come from Gabriel. He did not want to discover it as he walked into the club with Erem, by watching the Captain of the Hunt lick salt from the silver-haired Ahnnak’s wrist before he took a shot of clear liquor.

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Barach snapped.

“What?” Erem stood on his toes, trying to see past Barach. “What do you see? Is it a fight?”

“It’s going to be.” Barach pushed forward through the crowd, not caring who he shoved out of his way. Erem followed in his wake, still trying to see over people’s heads to figure out where Barach was going.

When they reached the table, Gabriel had the audacity to look up at Barach and smile. “Hey. Sorry I left without you. I figured you’d catch up.” 

“No problem,” Erem chirped happily as he slid onto the bench next to Gabriel. “Oh, what are you drinking? Looks fun.”

Barach gaped at Erem in disbelief. _No problem? Fun?!_ How could Erem say such things? Couldn’t he see what was going on?

“It’s a fast distilled liquor. Tastes like shit.” Gabriel grinned at him. “Here, let me show you.” He took Erem’s wrist, licked his blue skin, and sprinkled salt on the damp spot. 

Erem watched with wide eyes, excited by the attention he was getting from Gabriel. Barach hated it. 

Gabriel slid a small glass filled to the brim with a clear liquid to Erem. “Lick and drink,” he instructed. “Swallow fast.”

“I can do that,” Erem said with an excited laugh. He made a show of licking his wrist, making sure Gabriel was watching him. Salt still on his tongue, he drank the liquor. His eyes widened and he coughed.

Gabriel laughed and patted his back. “Good job. It’s terrible, isn’t it?”

Erem stuck out his tongue. “Ugh, that is the worst!” He laughed. “Want to do it again?” 

“Sure.” Gabriel looked up at Barach. “Want to try?”

“No,” Barach growled. He crossed his arms over his chest.

“Suit yourself.” Gabriel returned his attention to Erem.

“You going to stand there all night, bruiser?” Lorcas asked casually from the bench on the other side of the table. 

“Can I speak to you for a second?” Barach retorted sharply. “Outside?”

“I doubt there’s anything urgent you need to say to me that can’t wait until practice,” Lorcas replied. “Relax.” 

Barach was about to argue, but just then, Sera emerged from the crowd with a bright laugh. Lorcas stood and greeted her with a kiss. 

“I got us a table up top,” she said cheerfully. “Oh, hi, Barach. Erem. Will you join us?”

“No,” said Barach.

“Sure!” Erem exclaimed. 

Sera smiled at the blue-skinned boy and everyone ignored Barach. “Great! Space is limited, but I’ve got Bets guarding the table right now. Come on.” She led the way, holding Lorcas’ hand over her shoulder. Gabriel followed with Erem at his side, and Barach was left to scowl and trail after them on his own. 

***

Bets swayed to the loud music playing, clearly drunk. She grabbed Ombri’s arm. “Come dance with me!”

Ombri gave Lorcas a helpless look and got up with the Terran girl. “Be back,” he murmured.

“Doubt that,” Lorcas replied, grinning as the girl practically dragged the Terran weapon down to the dance floor. “Yeah, he doesn’t stand a chance against her.”

“Good. They’re cute together,” said Sera. She delicately sipped her honey mead. 

“You need to stop setting up my Huntsmen with your friends,” said Lorcas.

“Oh, it’s good for them. It can’t be work all the time, Lorcas.”

“I suppose.”

They all sat around a table on a platform overlooking the dance floor. It was only accessible to people with wings, and was one of the more coveted places to be in the club. Only five tables were available up there, and they were all filled.

Barach peered over the balcony. He watched Bets pull a reluctant Ombri into the crowd of dancers. She threw her arms around his shoulders, and with a smile, got the Terran to dance with her, despite his initial reluctance. 

“It’s strange seeing Ombri without Hul around,” Barach mentioned.

“He’ll be here later,” Lorcas said. “I sent him to see a medic after practice.”

Barach turned to the Captain. “He still having trouble?”

Lorcas nodded. “He’s getting better, but… I don’t know. He’s healed. There’s no reason he should still be dropping knives in practice.”

“It’s probably not physical. An injury like that gets into your head,” said Barach.

“Maybe you can talk to him.” Lorcas drank some of the Starhops he had ordered after they got their table in the rafters. 

“Maybe,” Barach replied. He didn’t know if he could help, but he didn’t like thinking that the Terran might be ruining his chances to stay on the team over some residual fear about getting hurt again. 

The music changed to a slower song that had the dancers in the club partnering up and pressing themselves against one another. Sera turned to Lorcas. “I love this song,” she said. “Come dance with me?”

“Not everyone has a dance partner,” Lorcas reminded her.

Gabriel scoffed. “Don’t hold back on my account. I could have anyone I wanted in this club.”

Lorcas’ eyes narrowed. “Is that so?”

Gabriel rose to the challenge. “Yes. Anyone.”

“I’ll dance with you,” Erem said.

“Too easy,” Lorcas said dismissively. “The Prince thinks he’s irresistible, let’s see if he’s right.” Lorcas’ sharp grey eyes scanned the dance floor. “Those two. The girl dancing with the guy with green hair. If you can dance with her, I’ll buy you a drink.”

“Deal.” Gabriel got up without hesitation and dropped off the balcony. 

“Oh, I have to see this,” Sera said, leaning over to get a clear view. “She’s going to turn him down.” 

Lorcas leaned over Sera’s shoulder so he could watch, too. “Would you?”

Sera glanced back at him with a smile. “For you? Of course.”

Barach clenched his jaw and watched with everyone else. Gabriel walked up to the couple without a word. He touched the girl’s hand and gave her one of those charming looks that seemed to promise her the world with a smile. Her wings fluttered, and she was in his arms before the guy she was dancing with even realized what was happening. The guy stood there, wings tense, completely baffled. He tried grabbing the girl back, but Gabriel spun her away and knocked his arm away with a wing. They exchanged heated words, then the angry, green-haired Terran stormed off the dance floor and joined his laughing friends near the far wall.

“That little bastard,” Lorcas said affectionately. “Guess I own him a drink.”

“And you owe me a dance.” Sera grabbed Lorcas’ hand and pulled him up from the table. 

Lorcas hastily grabbed his drink and downed the rest of it before she could pull him away. “You two coming?”

“What about the table?” Erem asked.

“We’re done with it. Time to dance,” cheered Sera. She jumped off the edge with Lorcas, who gave a salute to Barach just before he dropped.

Barach scowled. “They’re the worst.”

“They’re not that bad,” said Erem.

“Gabriel is fucking them again.”

“Yeah. I know.” Erem stood up and finished his drink. 

“You know?” Barach asked, surprised.

“Happened during the six degree break, when you and I flew back to the beach with Ar.”

Barach’s wings bristled. He stood. “You knew? He told you?”

Erem ran his hands through his tousled blond waves. “Sure. Gabriel’s my best friend. We talk.”

“When? When did you talk?” Barach demanded.

“Shortly after you and I got back. He was asking me what I used as lubricant when you and I have sex. I explained how I summoned it. I think he’s going to try to learn.”

It was such a casual statement, it made Barach furious. “You knew, and you didn’t think to say anything to me?”

“Fiends, Barach, it’s because I knew you would react like this.” Erem rolled his eyes. “I want to dance. Do I need to find someone else to dance with, or are you coming?” 

Gritting his teeth, Barach said, “I’m coming. I’m not very happy with you right now, though.”

Erem smirked. “Fine. You can punish me later.”

But when they reached the dance floor, it was hard to stay mad at Erem. The blue-skinned boy rubbed against Barach, teasing and taunting him in a way Barach wasn’t able to properly respond to, not here in public. He wanted to take Erem, hold him tight against his body, and let everyone know the Ahnnak was his. Instead, he did his best to look annoyed with his partner’s performance, even though he immensely enjoyed the display. 

After a few songs, when Erem was calmer and leaning against his chest, Barach looked up. He saw Lorcas and Sera together, speaking softly while they danced. He even saw Ombri and Bets. What he didn’t see was Gabriel. He scanned the crowd for a while, trying to catch a glimpse of the silver-haired Ahnnak. He wasn’t in the club.

“Erem, we need to find Gabriel,” he said, bringing his face close to his boyfriend’s ear.

“Let him dance,” Erem murmured, eyes closed.

“He’s gone.”

Erem looked up. “Gone?”

Barach raised his eyebrows, giving Erem an impatient look that clearly expressed that he wasn’t going to repeat himself. The blue-skinned boy caught on. He looked around, but he wasn’t tall enough to see over the crowd around them. 

“Maybe Lorcas knows where he went,” he suggested. 

They pushed through the crowd to reach the Captain of the Hunt, but when they asked him, he didn’t know, either. He stared into the distance a moment, distracted, like he was focused on something far away. Sera stood on her toes. 

“I think I know where he went,” she said. She pointed to the wall, where the group of boys with the green-haired Terran had stood before. They were all gone.

Lorcas blinked rapidly and returned his focus to them. “She’s right. Get Ombri and meet me outside.” The Captain was gone in a flash, and Barach was left to follow orders before he chased after him.

***

Outside, it was obvious where Gabriel had gone. There was a fight the next street up, and as they ran toward the sound, a Terran was flung across the road to crash against the building across the street. He didn’t get back up.

Barach skidded around the corner, Erem and Ombri on his heels. Sera stayed back with Bets. The two girls held onto each other, worried.

Lorcas was already in the midst of the fight, knocking Terran out with brutal efficiency. Barach caught sight of Gabriel at the far end, his wild blue eyes focused on the green-haired Terran who was attacking him. Surprisingly, at Gabriel’s back, was Hul, who fought the gang with joyful abandon. 

Barach joined the fray, plowing into a Terran who had an ax raised over Lorcas’ back. He slammed him to the ground and broke his wrist so he couldn’t hold the weapon again. Ombri flew over Barach’s head, darting past the gang of Terran to reach Hul. Barach knew the two of them, at Gabriel’s back, would defend his friend. They were good fighters, especially when they were together. 

A Terran with a sickle rushed Erem. He must have thought Erem was going to be an easy target, since he was the smallest of their group, but he was quickly corrected when Erem deflected his attack and sliced open his cheek. Erem’s wicked grin urged the Terran to come at him again, but the man was a little more cautious.

The fight only lasted a few moments after that. The standing members of the gang realized they were outmatched and grabbed their fallen comrades. They fled in defeat, but if Lorcas hadn’t reached Gabriel, the silver-haired Ahnnak would have chased after them.

“Let me go!” Gabriel yelled, trying to pull away from Lorcas. His eyes were wild.

“What happened?” Lorcas asked, speaking to Hul instead of silver-haired boy. 

Hul grinned as he massaged his shoulder and stretched his injured arm. “Was walking by when I saw those punks ganging up on Rockiel’s friend. Figured I’d make the fight a little more fair.”

“I could have taken them,” Gabriel announced, as if he was angry that anyone had showed up to save his ass.

Lorcas glared at him. “Shut up. What were you thinking, leaving the club without us?”

“Hey, I don’t need you protecting me,” Gabriel snapped back. “I get enough of that shit with Barach. They wanted a fight, I was going to give it to them.”

Barach clenched his fists. “They could have killed you.”

“Nah,” said Hul. He rolled his shoulder and then settled his wings against his back. “That gang likes to maim people. Snap wings and cut up faces. That type of thing.”

Lorcas slowly turned toward him, eyes wide and furious.

“What?” Hul balked. “I don’t condone it. Ombri and I have fought them before, that’s all.”

“What have I told you about picking fights in Marut?” Lorcas demanded.

“Fiends, Captain, I didn’t see you standing by peacefully to negotiate.” Hul rubbed the back of his neck. “Sometimes people need their asses kicked.”

“You’re going to get your ass kicked if you don’t get out of here,” Lorcas replied sharply. “That goes for all of you. Leave before someone reports the fight and the guards show up. That’s an order.” 

“I’m not going anywhere,” Gabriel insisted. 

Unceremoniously, Lorcas spun Gabriel around and flipped him over his shoulder. The silver-haired Ahnnak let out an indignant squeak. “I got him tonight,” Lorcas told Barach, adjusting Gabriel with a shrug and then holding the squirming boy in place. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep him safe.” 

Barach scowled at Lorcas, but he knew there was no chance of winning this argument. If Gabriel really wanted down, he could get down. “You and I are going to have words tomorrow,” he told his Captain.

Lorcas smirked. “I think I’ll be busy tomorrow.” He patted Gabriel’s butt to emphasize his point. Gabriel swore and kicked, but Lorcas had no trouble restraining him. “See you in practice, Barach.” He hauled Gabriel out of the alley, easily keeping the silver-haired Ahnnak subdued until he took to the air. Sera flew after them as soon as she saw them pass over the buildings.

“Asshole,” Barach grumbled, glaring after Lorcas.

Ombri grabbed Hul’s face and shoved his lip back from his teeth. He was missing one of his molars. “Again?”

Hul batted Ombri away. “It’s been knocked out so many times it grows in loose. I swallowed it this time. Weren’t you here with your girlfriend?”

“Yeah.” Ombri frowned. “And Lavela?”

Hul raised his chin in a nod of affirmation. “Meeting her here in an hour.”

Barach frowned at them. “You two aren’t leaving?”

Hul scoffed. “Over some fight with some city punks? Fuck no. Ombri and I get into fights all the time. The gangs around here think they own the streets, but like hell we’re going to be chased off.” Hul held up his fist, and Ombri bumped knuckles with him.

“But the Captain said-”

Hul rolled his eyes. “Ugh. What the Captain doesn’t know won’t hurt him. You can’t seriously be willing to give up your night just because the Captain is afraid of getting in trouble.”

Barach glanced at Erem, who looked back at him with a shrug. “What about the city guards?” Barach asked.

“They won’t bother. The gangs fight over this territory all the time. Long as no one dies, they just don’t care.” Hul walked toward the end of the street. “Come or don’t. I got a girl to meet.” He rounded the corner, then cheerfully exclaimed, “Hey, Bets! Yeah, Ombri’s right behind me.”

Ombri hesitated with Barach and Erem. He appeared torn about going, and looked up at Barach. “Help me,” he whispered, then trudged after Hul. Ombri smiled as he rounded the corner and greeted Bets, but his enthusiasm definitely didn’t match that of the girl waiting for him. 

Erem looked up at Barach with hope in his eyes. “So? What do you want to do?” 

“I guess…” Barach’s brow furrowed. “I guess we stay.”

Grinning wide, Erem said, “Yeah? Even if you’re disobeying orders?”

Barach curled his fingers around the back of Erem’s neck. “Are you looking forward to getting back to our room so soon? Don’t think I’ve forgotten about the punishment you deserve.”

Erem giggled with nervous excitement. “There’ll be plenty of time for whatever you have planned later,” he said, gazing up into Barach’s eyes. “For now, I want to dance.”

Barach kissed him hard, thrusting his tongue into his boyfriend’s mouth. He held his head and kissed him for as long as he dared. When he pulled back, Erem blinked up at him with a dazed and breathless expression. “What was that for?”

“Because I can’t kiss you in there, no matter how much I want to.” He kissed him again, a light touch of his lips. “And because, even though I’m going to bruise your ass later, I want you to remember than I love you.”

Erem grinned. “I better make sure I really deserve it then, huh?” He grabbed Barach’s hand and happily pulled him back into the club.


	31. Remiel: 13th Degree of Soldiers, 596 DE

Remiel woke when he heard Sophie return. He stretched on the bed, naked save for the sheet tangled between his legs and the manacle on his wrist. Zak wasn’t beside him anymore. He heard his boyfriend in the other room, greeting their girlfriend after her shift at the hospital.

Correction. _Wife_. 

Sophie was Zak’s wife now. They were married, with an officially registered pedigree submitted to the E’din Heritage Department. They were Husband and Wife, and Remiel was their Eternal Guardian and Protector. 

He smiled and closed his eyes, listening to the late autumn patter of rain on the roof. It mingled with the sound of the voices from the other room, muffling their words into a pleasant drone. It was a comforting sound.

How strange was it that he could be so happy knowing the two people he cared for most loved someone other than him? He should be jealous knowing he wasn’t the sole center of either one of their affections. But that wasn’t how he felt. To see the happiness they shared when they were together, even without him, filled him with joy. 

Of course, he had no doubt that whatever feelings they had for each other, they also had for him. They loved him, and he loved them, and there was nothing that could ever separate them.

“Remi? Are you awake?” Sophie whispered as she crept into the room.

He opened his eyes and smiled up at her. “I’m awake.”

“I have some news,” she said. Her eyes were bright. 

Remiel quickly sat up. “The position?”

“I got it,” she said, barely able to contain the excitement in her voice. “I am now an official, full-time medic at the Marut Hospital.”

“That’s great!” he exclaimed. He jumped to his feet and hugged her. The sheet fell away from him as he picked her up and spun her around.

Sophie had been working so hard for this position, and even if she was the most talented healer in the class, they weren’t sure if she would qualify. She was still so young. It was a huge relief to know they hired her. 

“I never had any doubts!” Remiel said.

Sophie laughed and kissed him. “Get dressed, pretty boy. I want to go out to celebrate.”

Zak smiled at them from the doorway. “We could always stay in and celebrate.” 

Sophie wiggled out of Remiel’s arms and went over to Zak. “You’ve had him all day. You can wait.” She stood on her toes, meeting him halfway for a kiss. They smiled lovingly at each other.

Remiel grabbed a pair of silk pants from the closet and pulled them on. As he laced up the front, he said, “There’s something I want to talk about with you both, too.” 

“Oh?” Sophie looked back at him. “Good or bad?”

“Good.” He laughed. “I hope. I mean, I think it’s good, but I hope you both think it’s good, too.”

“Can’t give us a hint?” Zak asked, tilting his head. 

Remiel flipped through his clothes hanging in the closet. He grinned at his lovers. “After dinner. After we celebrate Sophie. Then I’ll show you.”

“Show us?” Zak’s eyebrows raised. “Now I’m really curious.” Sophie laughed and slipped past Zak while Remiel finished getting ready. 

***

Even though it was raining, they had dinner at Ku-Bao’s. It was the first restaurant the three of them had eaten at together, and it had remained one of their favorites ever since. The owner greeted them cheerfully by name, and when Zak explained why they were there, the Homm was elated. He brought out a special celebratory platter, and everyone joined in the merriment.

When they left, they were so full, even if it hadn’t been raining, Remiel doubted they could fly. That was okay, though. The place he wanted to show them wasn’t very far away, and the rain had lightened up some.

“Where are you taking us?” Zak asked. He walked with Sophie, their arms linked together. Remiel was too excited to walk with them. He kept bouncing, feeling like a little kid. 

“It’s not much further.” He walked backward, grinning at them.

“You should just tell us,” said Sophie.

“It’ll be better if I can show you.” Remiel curled his fingers and beckoned them toward him playfully. “Come on, hurry up. You know you want to.”

Sophie laughed. “If I catch you, you have to tell me.”

“Sure, if you can catch me.”

Sophie looked to Zak, eyebrows raised. The older Terran grinned back at her. As if on cue, they both turned and sprinted toward Remiel. He yelped and ran, leaping puddles and laughing the whole while.

Remiel skidded around a corner just as Zak caught him. The Terran spun around with Remiel in his arms, and they stopped facing Sophie. She bopped Remiel on his nose. “Got you.” 

Grinning, Remiel announced, “We’re here.”

“Where?” Sophie looked at the building they stood before. The light drizzle clung to her wild curls, weighing them down. 

Zak released Remiel and gave an involuntary twitch of his wings, shaking raindrops off. “It looks closed.”

“It is.” Remiel hopped over a puddle and up the three wooden steps. He stood in front of the worn door and spread his arms and wings wide. “Ta-da!”

Zak frowned. Sophie stared up at him like he’d gone crazy. 

“I know it’s a little rough right now,” Remiel explained. “It’s been empty for a few months. The last owner got caught in the raid as a Jinn sympathizer and was convicted during the Justice trials. None of his distant relatives want to claim inheritance on his belongings, so it’s been turned over to the council in Marut.” Remiel pushed open the front door.

“Remi!” Sophie exclaimed. “We can’t just go in there!” 

“No, it’s okay,” he assured her. “Come on.” He stepped into the dark building. After a few moments, Sophie and Zak followed him inside.

It was warm and dry inside, though too dark to see more than the vague outlines of things around the room. “Careful, watch your step,” Remiel called, just as Zak tripped over a stray box. The Terran healer swore under his breath. 

“Remi? Where are you?” Sophie asked. They made it to the middle of the room. 

“Right here.” With a carefully controlled snap of his fingers, Remiel ignited the old candles on the wall sconces. His manacle pulsed blue and faded without causing him any pain. Sophie and Zak blinked and turned, looking around the room in shock.

Overturned boxes lay across the floor, some broken or smashed. The shelves were nearly bare, stripped of any food that hadn’t rotted by the time people realized the owner wasn’t coming back. The grime that covered everything had built up from years of lapsed cleaning, not just a few months. 

The old shop was dirty and deteriorating, but Remiel stood behind the counter grinning. “What do you think?”

“I think you’re crazy,” said Sophie.

“Rem, what is this place?” Zak asked as he helped Sophie step over a broken box to walk to the counter.

“It was a dry goods grocer,” Remiel said. “I mean, it’s been looted already, so there’s not much left, but that doesn’t really matter. It would be perfect, right?”

Sophie narrowed her eyes at him from across the counter. “Perfect for what?”

“A shop. My shop. Well, our shop, really. I want to buy it.”

Sophie stared at him like she hadn’t understood. Zak raised an eyebrow. “Buy it?” he asked. “This place? It’s a dump. Besides, we can’t afford something like this. I can barely afford the rent on my place right now.”

“That’s why it’s so great. The city is looking to sell it off as quickly as possible to move past the sympathizer disgrace.”

“Unless they’re willing to give it away, we still can’t afford it,” said Zak.

“I can,” Remiel said. He started slipping the rings from his fingers, slowly, one at a time, placing them on the counter between them as he did. “When I was young, I knew I would have to survive on my own after I left Archridge. I couldn’t trust anyone else to help me, so I started saving every coin I could. After a year, when I was visiting home, my grandfather found my stash in my belongings. He took everything, and I realized the only way I could keep anything for myself was if I had it with me all the time. I couldn’t trust anyone else. So, after that, when I had enough saved, I bought a ring.” 

He paused, having a little trouble pulling one of the rings off. When it finally popped off, he held it up. It was a thin, simple, gold band. “This was my first ring. I’ve worn it for seven years. I swore to myself that the only time I would take it off was when I bought my own shop, where I could sell fabrics and clothes I made to support myself on my own.” He placed it with the others in the pile. His hands felt weird without the weight of the rings on his fingers anymore. 

Remiel reached up to his ears and began removing the piercings. “I’m not afraid of losing everything anymore, because I know I have both of you with me. I don’t look at this shop and see an escape from the tyranny of my lineage. I look at this place and I see the start of a new life, one we can all build together.” He placed the handful of gold circlets from both ears with the rings. The pile glittered in the flickering candlelight. “There’s an apartment upstairs that comes with the shop. Two bedrooms, a full kitchen, a bath with hot water heated by a personal reservoir out back. This could be our new home.”

Sophie looked to be on the verge of tears. “Remi, are you sure?”

He smiled at her. “More than anything. This is what I want for us, if you agree.”

“Yes!” she exclaimed. “Oh, Remi, this is wonderful!”

He laughed. “I had hoped you would think so.”

“But why all the secrecy?” she asked. “You should have told us what you were planning earlier.”

“I wanted to wait until after you got the position at the hospital. If you were hired somewhere else, I wanted us to be able to move with you. I’m sure we could have found a shop there, too, though probably not as good of a deal. As it is, I can barely afford this place.”

Sophie ran around the counter and kissed him. “Oh, Remi! You’re so stupid. I would have accepted any position in Marut if it meant we could stay with you and you could have your own shop.”

“That’s what I was afraid of,” he told her, gazing down into her fiery eyes. “You’re amazing, Sophie, and you’re going to do great things, and I never want you to hold yourself back because of me.” 

She hugged him tightly, hiding her face against his chest as she was overcome with emotion. He held her, resting his chin on top of her head. 

“One question,” said Zak, who had been very quiet so far. 

“Yes?” Remiel asked, wondering if he had misjudged Zak’s reaction. 

Zak nodded toward Remiel. “Do the nipple piercings come out too?”

Remiel laughed and blushed. “Yes, I’m a little short. I’ll need those too.” 

Zak pulled off the ring Remiel had given him and slapped it down next to the pile. “Leave them in.” 

“Zak-”

Sophie worked off her ring and sat it on the counter with a click. “Leave them in.”

“But your rings…”

Sophie smiled up at him. “After the shop is open and you’ve sold your first designs, you can buy us new ones. We’ll all get a matched set that we never have to take off again.” 

It was too much to ask from them. He wanted to refuse, but they both looked at him with earnest joy. Remiel smiled. “I promise,” he said, and then leaned down and kissed Sophie. 

When they parted, Sophie’s eyes seemed to glow with excitement. “I want to see the rest of our home,” she said.

“I wonder how big of a bed we can get,” Zak mused.

“Race you upstairs,” said Sophie, turning and jumping over the boxes in her way. Zak chased after her.

“Be careful!” Remiel called. “The third step needs to be replaced!” They disappeared into the back room, and he could hear them laughing all the way up the stairs to the apartment above. 

Smiling, filled with a euphoria and peace he never thought he would know, Remiel scooped his old jewelry into a silk pouch. Tomorrow, he would officially buy the building. Then, the three of them would truly be home.

Remiel’s wings fluttered happily as he followed the two people he loved more than anything upstairs.

_Home. They were home._


	32. Gabriel: 3rd Degree of Descendants, 596 DE

Gabriel sat on the carved stone risers in the enclave of the Hunt, watching the practice whenever he wasn’t writing answers on his classwork. There were four new rookies, and the team was mercilessly training them for the first game, even though they’d all be second line players. It was good practice for the core team, to help them remember basics while they built up to their full strength again.

Barach was out there, running a quarter of the team through weapons drills. Anyone who didn’t have perfect form got smacked by the wooden stick he held. It was only the third day of the Winter season, but everyone’s posture had already greatly improved. 

Lorcasiel was on the other side of the field with Pon-Pon, running all the Homm through sprints. The Captain joined, running with them, even if during a real game he barely ever touched the ground. 

Duke and Cariel were in the air, practicing aerial sparring with some of the Terran. Everyone was working hard, and the enclave was filled with the noise of practice, but Gabriel found he enjoyed studying there. The chaos barely distracted him anymore.

There were others who came to the enclave just to watch the Hunt practice, so he wasn’t alone on the risers. Most days, Sera was there with him, though today, she had gone down to the medic’s office after class. It was one of her scheduled appointments to get her hormone shots. Sometimes, they left her feeling so exhausted, she would spend the rest of the evening in bed, but Lorcas would always go by and check on her after practice.

Someone sat down on the riser above Gabriel. He looked up to find a Terran boy with his nose in a book, absorbed in his reading. Gabriel was surprised by how much the boy had changed since they had class together. 

Except for the book. 

That was still the same.

“Vivi?” said Gabriel.

The Terran boy lowered his book, surprised to see Gabriel before him. Freckles covered his sandy skin, but he looked more grown up. His hair was spiked up into a stylish coif that wouldn’t survive the first flight he took. “O-Oh. I’m sorry. I d-didn’t mean to bother you.” Vivi started to get up.

“No, it’s okay.” Gabriel felt a little awkward. They hadn’t exactly parted on good terms. “You’re not bothering me. I was just finishing this assignment.” The Terran still looked uncertain about staying, so Gabriel asked, “What are you reading?” 

“It’s a, um, book on the, um, tensions before the War with the… the J-Jinn.” Vivi closed the book and sat it in his lap. 

Gabriel gave Vivi one of his charming smiles. “Sounds interesting.”

Vivi’s brow furrowed. “I’m sorry, but why are you t-talking to me? Do you need someone to do your history work again? I-If so, just give me the assignment. You don’t have to pretend to like me.” He held out his hand.

Gabriel lowered his head and laughed. “Yeah, I probably deserve that,” he admitted. He looked up at the older boy again. “I’m sorry. For everything I put you through. It wasn’t fair.”

Still suspicious, Vivi pulled back his hand. “You’re right, it wasn’t fair. You really hurt me, Gabriel.”

“I know.”

“For a while, I wished Oriel had killed me when she stabbed me. At least then I would have died while I still believed you cared for me.”

“I never meant for you to get hurt.”

“Yeah, well, I did. And honestly, being stabbed hurt a lot less than realizing how much you lied to me.” Vivi exhaled heavily, his brown eyes firm. “But I guess I have to thank you, too.”

Gabriel’s silver eyebrows raised. “For what?”

“If it wasn’t for everything that happened with you, I-I never would have been invited to sit with the Hunt at dinner. I never would have met Mikkon.”

“Mikkon?”

Vivi pointed up to a Terran overhead, who was absolutely getting his ass kicked by one of the new rookies. Oh, yeah, Gabriel remembered him now. “He’s the tracker on Cariel’s team,” said Vivi. “He’s my b-boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” Gabriel turned back to Vivi with a smile. “Good for you.” 

“He likes me,” Vivi said defensively. “He doesn’t just pretend. I’ve got real friends now, Gabriel. N-Nobody picks on me in class anymore.”

“Nobody ever should have picked on you. You’re a good person, Vivi. You deserve to be happy.”

Vivi nervously licked his lips, like he was still trying to figure out the trick, but the boy had never had a mean bone in his body. His nature was one of trust and forgiveness. “I am happy,” he said. “A-And I’m glad you found someone who makes you feel that way, too.”

“What?” 

The Terran’s warm brown eyes glanced across the enclave, toward Lorcas. 

“Oh, no,” Gabriel said quickly. “We’re not-”

“It’s okay. You don’t need to lie to me anymore.” Vivi smiled at him. “I can tell. The way you look at him, it’s different than you ever looked at me.”

“That’s because I hate him. I never hated you, Vivi.” 

The shy boy lowered his eyes. “W-When you think no one is watching, it doesn’t look like hate,” he said softly while his slim finger traced the imprinted words on the cover of his book. 

“You’ve been spying on me?” Gabriel asked disapprovingly.

Vivi shrugged, blushing beneath all those freckles. “Y-You’re hard not to notice, Gabriel. Even when I wanted to hate you. You kind of stand out.”

“Thanks. I’ll try to be less obvious.” Gabriel sighed and smiled at the boy, so Vivi would know he wasn’t actually upset. “It’s not like that, though. Lorcas and I are just friends. I study with him and Sera sometimes.”

“You studied with me, too.” 

“ _Vidiel._ ”

“Yes, alright,” the boy said sheepishly. “Maybe I’m wrong. But if I’m not, I’m guess… what I mean is… I’m okay.” He hugged his book to his chest and met Gabriel’s ice-blue eyes. “I’m okay, and I forgive you.” 

Part of Gabriel wanted to argue that he had done nothing that needed forgiveness, but he knew that wasn’t true. He also knew he didn’t deserve the forgiveness the Terran was offering. His throat felt a little tight as he managed to say, “Thank you.”

Mikkon crash landed on the ground at the base of the risers and crawled up on his hands and knees. “I’m dying,” he gasped, wings trembling behind him. He collapsed on the level beside Vivi. “I’m dead, Vi. Tell my mother I love her.” 

Vivi sat his book aside and turned toward Mikkon. He pulled the exhausted Terran’s head into his lap. “Mik? Hey? Mik! Are you really dying?” the sweet, gullible boy asked.

The rookie Mikkon had been sparring landed on the risers with a hard beat of his wings. The gust he created flipped the pages of Gabriel’s class book and nearly blew his assignments away. Gabriel scrambled to grab all of them, immediately put in a bad mood.

“Hey, tracker,” the snide kid said. He looked to be a year younger than Gabriel. Maybe that was an excuse for why he was so dumb. “Air-Commander Ducaniel and Vice-Captain Cariel didn’t say practice was over yet. Get your lazy ass back up there.”

Mikkon continued to lay on the riser, feigning death. The rookie took a step toward him, but he tried to go straight across, over Gabriel’s coursework. 

Gabriel stood and shoved the Terran down a step. “Fuck off,” he growled.

“You shouldn’t have done that, groupie.” The rookie puffed his wings and popped his knuckles. “You got no clue who you’re messing with. My name is Womzecotliel, but everyone just calls me Whomp, cause that’s the sound my fist is going to make when I hit you in the face.”

Mikkon started to sit up, eyes going wide. “Oh, Whomp, that’s not a good idea-”

Vivi placed his hand over Mikkon’s mouth and pushed him back down. “Hush. You’re dead,” he said sweetly.

“But-”

“Shhh.”

Gabriel stepped down so he was on the same stone riser as the rookie. “What did you just say to me?” he asked.

With absolutely no sense of self-preservation, the brat said, “You heard me. How dare you try to stand in my way. I am a Huntsman, and I’m going to kick your ass so hard you’ll-”

With a sudden gust of wind, Lorcas arrived. He landed behind the kid with a menacing aura. The boy froze, wings going stiff and eyes going wide. He slowly glanced over his shoulder, but the look on the Captain’s face wasn’t any friendlier.

“Finish your sentence, rookie.”

“I-I-I-” The kid just stammered, terrified by Lorcas. 

“Fiends take you!” Gabriel shouted, furious. “Lorcas! You fucking ass! You blew my assignments everywhere!” He motioned to the parchment Lorcas’ sudden arrival had scattered across the risers. “Pick them up!”

“I didn’t do it on purpose, you big baby,” Lorcas snapped back.

“Lorcas! You know there’s no flying around the risers. You’ve fucked this up before, and I warned you-”

“Calm down, can’t you see I’m busy-”

“Don’t even fucking start with me. There’s a twelve page report on thermodynamics, and I swear on the Isten if even one page is lost-”

“Stop whining, brat,” Lorcas said as he moved past the stunned rookie and began collecting all the pages strewn across the stone risers. Some of them had skidded pretty far. 

Gabriel stood there, arms crossed as he glared at Lorcas. The Captain of the Hunt came back over and handed the stack to him. “They’re not in order,” Gabriel said.

“Figure it out,” Lorcas replied through clenched teeth. He turned to face the rookie, who was just staring at them bickering with his jaw slack. “Now, when I arrived, what were you saying?”

“I-I wasn’t saying nothing,” he said, his voice a squeak. 

“I very distinctly heard you talking to my friend.”

Whomp blanched like he’d been hit in the gut. “I don’t remember.”

Helpfully, Vivi said, “I think it was something like, ‘I’m a Huntsman and I’m going to kick your ass so hard you’ll…’”

“Oh, yes,” Lorcas said. “That’s right. And what were you going to say next, _rookie_?”

The kid swallowed like he had a mouthful of glass. “…You’ll t-taste my foot.” 

Lorcas frowned. “As far as threats go, that’s not anatomically plausible,” he said. “The amount of effort it takes to get your whole foot up someone’s ass isn’t going to be worth the time. I’d be willing to give you a demonstration, if you wish.”

“No, thank you, sir,” Whomp whispered, tightening his wings against his back. With every word Lorcas said, he seemed to get smaller. 

Lorcas stepped toward him with that predatory stroll that hinted at how dangerous he really was. It made the boy shake. “I want to make something perfectly clear to you, rookie. The Hunt protects our own. We’re family. That extends to any girlfriends, boyfriends, or friends a Huntsman might have. You don’t fuck with family.” 

“Yes, sir,” the rookie replied meekly. “I understand, sir.” 

“I don’t think you do.” Lorcas raised his chin in greeting as Barach jogged over. 

“I heard yelling,” Barach said. “Something happen?”

Gabriel finished putting his pages back in order. “Lorcas flew in and blew my report all over the damned place,” he complained.

Lorcas glared at Gabriel, then turned back toward Barach. “We have a rookie who thinks he’s above the rules of the Hunt. He threatened to hit one of our guests.”

Barach got that stillness to him that meant he was really mad. “Gabriel?” he asked, voice too calm. 

Lorcas nodded curtly. “Practice is nearly over, but do you think you would mind staying? I think this rookie could use a lesson on hospitality.”

“With pleasure,” Barach growled, and his large hand curled around the back of the kid’s neck.

Gabriel almost felt bad for him.

Almost. 

After Barach dragged away Whomp, who was no doubt regretting his life decisions, Gabriel turned to Lorcas. “I don’t need you protecting me,” he said. “I could have handled some scrawny kid.” 

“Not everything is about you,” Lorcas stated dismissively. “Some rookies need to learn manners the hard way.”

“Barach is going to kill him.”

“Nah,” Lorcas said. He smirked. “He’ll live. But he won’t make that mistake again. Neither will any of the others.” Lorcas hopped off the risers. “I need to wrap up practice. See you after?”

“I’ll be around.” 

“Good. Mikkon!” Lorcas barked.

Mikkon sat bolt upright and saluted, reviving from his death miraculously. “Yes, sir, Captain, sir!”

“Get back to practice. You’re not done until you’re dismissed by Cariel or Duke.”

“Yes, sir, Captain, sir!” Mikkon hopped up on the stone riser, spread his wings, and immediately thought better of it. He walked down the risers and made sure he was far enough away before using his wings to jump back up to join the Terran training overhead.

Gabriel picked up the rest of his belongings and sat beside Vivi to watch the end of practice. The Terran smiled at him with a shimmer in his brown eyes.

“What?” Gabriel asked, annoyed.

“There’s that look. The one you get when no one else is watching.”

Gabriel’s cheeks reddened. “Shut up, Vivi. I do not.”

The boy grinned and lowered his eyes. “My mistake,” he said, far too amused for Gabriel’s liking. 

Still, Gabriel couldn’t completely hide his smile, or the bit of warmth he felt when he looked at Lorcas.

***

At the end of practice, all the sweaty and exhausted Huntsmen trudged off to the locker rooms to shower before dinner. Barach remained on the field with Whomp, though he had the rookie running sprints. While he watched him, he came over to stand beside the risers and talk to Gabriel.

“I’m going to make him run until he pukes,” Barach said as he crossed his arms and glared at the boy. 

“You’re such a bully, Barach,” Gabriel teased. “Who would have thought you would enjoy tormenting some random kid? Isn’t that why you joined the Hunt? To prevent Huntsmen from picking on little kids?”

“He is a Huntsman. It’s different. Besides, _you_ were the dumb kid I needed to protect. This brat might as well have his head stuffed with feathers.” Barach looked up at Gabriel and Vivi. “So what happened?”

“It was kind of my fault,” Vivi said. “Mikkon came down to see me, and-”

“No, it wasn’t Vivi’s fault,” Gabriel interrupted, because he knew Barach would take an excuse like that seriously. “The rookie was sparring Mikkon, and followed him down here. He blew some of my coursework around, and then was going to step on my book, so I got in his face. Lorcas showed up before I could deal with him.” 

“Whomp threatened to hit you,” Vivi added with a worried flutter of his wings. 

“I could have handled him,” Gabriel replied.

“That’s not the point,” said Barach. “The rookie has to learn.”

“Oh, I doubt he would have messed with me again.”

“For once,” said Barach, “it’s not just about you. What if you weren’t here and he’d gone after Vidiel instead?” Vivi’s brown eyes widened, like he hadn’t considered he was at risk. “What if he threatened some other Huntsman’s companion? That type of behavior is simply unacceptable.” Barach’s voice was as impassioned as Gabriel had ever heard it. “ _We protect our own._ It’s a concept that unifies the Hunt and allows us to trust one another. For even one person to ignore that tenet, for any reason, would cause a rift that could rip the unity of the team apart. There is zero tolerance for any dissent in that matter.”

Gabriel tilted his head, letting his silver hair hang over his shoulder as he gazed at Barach. He smiled, his blue eyes glittering with amusement. “Fiends, this place really is perfect for you.”

Barach clenched his jaw and turned away from Gabriel to watch the rookie run. The big Ahnnak was embarrassed. He hid it well, but Gabriel could tell. For as tough as Barach acted, he really cared about the Hunt. It was kind of cute.

Mikkon arrived to collect Vivi. He looked clean and energetic, which was a drastic change from how he appeared when Ku-Vox dragged him to the locker room after practice. The Homm was at his side, grinning wide while one of the other rookies clung to his flat back. 

“Ready to go?” Mikkon asked, offering his hand to Vivi as the freckled Terran carried his book down the risers.

“Ready.” Vivi grinned at Mikkon, then looked back at Gabriel. “Maybe I’ll see you around again?”

“Sure.” Gabriel returned his smile. “I’d like to hear about your book next time.” 

“O-Okay,” Vivi whispered with a happy flutter of his wings. They walked away. 

As they did, Ku-Vox said, “Hey, Vivi, have you met Joliel? She just joined the Hunt.”

The Terran girl, riding on the Homm’s back, reached past Vox’s face and offered her hand to Vivi. “Nice to meet you.”

“N-Nice to meet you, too,” Vivi stammered with a blush. The boy was still just so painfully shy, it was almost hard to watch. The four of them left the enclave together.

After they were gone, Barach grumbled, “That’s going to be an issue.”

“What? Vivi and Mikkon? I thought you knew.”

“Not them. That actually solved a problem we were having last year. No, the issue is Ku-Vox.”

“The Homm?”

“Mikkon used to have a crush on him. Now, it looks like Joliel does.”

“So?”

“Vox has no idea. He’s absolutely oblivious, and I’m not even sure he’s capable of returning anyone’s feelings like that. When Mikkon told him he liked him, Vox replied with, ‘I like you too, buddy,’ and slugged him in the arm. It happened before practice, and the Terran was so depressed after, Oster nearly decapitated him while they were sparring.” Barach shook his head. “If it weren’t for Vidiel connecting with Mikkon after that, I doubt he would have stayed on the team.”

Gabriel snorted. “Honestly, I’m surprised he’s on the team at all, let alone on one of the starting squads,” he remarked. “He was getting his ass kicked by that dumb rookie today.”

The muscle in Barach’s jaw pulsed as he grit his teeth. “I know,” he said in annoyance. “Mikkon is practically useless in a fight, but he’s one of the best trackers Archridge has ever had. Except, of course, for your boyfriend.”

The comment was made with a disapproving glance at Gabriel. The silver-haired boy glared back at his friend. “He’s not my boyfriend.” He wasn’t going to have this argument with Barach again, though, so he changed the subject. “What’s wrong with Joliel liking Ku-Vox? Even if he never returns her feelings, it’s not like she’s on the core team. It won’t disrupt anything if she quits.”

Barach resumed watching his rookie stagger back and forth. The kid was on the verge of collapsing. “Joliel has the potential to be a great weapon in a year or two. She needs to focus on that, not some Homm. The Hunt is what matters most.”

“You almost sound like you really believe that,” said Gabriel.

“That’s because I do,” said Barach.

“Does it matter more than Erem? More than me?” Gabriel clicked his tongue with mock disappointment. “What would he think if he heard you talk that way?”

Barach scowled at Gabriel. “Erem tends to say whatever he thinks, so I’m sure he’d tell me. You, however, are just a pain in my ass.”

Gabriel laughed. No matter how Barach postured, Gabriel knew the big Ahnnak would always choose Erem and him over the Hunt, if he really had to. Still, it was good to see that Barach enjoyed bossing around other people than Gabriel. It was too bad it didn’t take up more of his time. 

The rookie stumbled. He landed on his hands and knees, wings open rigidly behind him, and started heaving. 

“That’s my cue,” said Barach. He pushed off the risers. “And there’s yours.” Gabriel followed his gaze to find Lorcas approaching from the locker rooms on the other side of the enclave. “Not that you care, but Erem and I have plans after dinner tonight.”

“I’ll be studying,” Gabriel said as Barach began walking back to the rookie. 

“Sure you will,” Barach replied over his shoulder. He saluted to Lorcas as he passed him. “Captain.” 

“Barach.” Lorcas lazily returned the salute, then continued toward Gabriel. His hair was still wet, but his wings remained folded against his back. Lorcas never took the time to dry himself after a shower. Gabriel had grown fond of licking the droplets of water from his skin. 

“What’s that look for?” Lorcas demanded as he jumped onto the lowest riser. 

“Nothing,” Gabriel said quickly. He stood and tucked his books under his arm. “Barach and I were just talking.”

Lorcas casually sauntered up the tall steps toward him. “Yeah? About how you enjoy disrupting my practices by tormenting my Huntsmen?”

“That rookie-”

“Not him, baby.” Lorcas stopped on the riser below Gabriel so they were nearly the same height. “Mikkon. You can’t flirt with his boyfriend.”

“I wasn’t flirting,” Gabriel replied indignantly. 

“It sure looked like flirting from where I was. You think Mikkon just abandonded practice because he got his ass kicked? He was worried. Everyone knows you have a history with Vidiel. That boy took a knife for you.”

Gabriel smirked. The tension in his wings eased a little. “You’re jealous.”

“What?” Lorcas’ grey eyes narrowed.

“You were watching me. That’s why you showed up so fast. Mikkon wasn’t the only Huntsman I was distracting.” 

“You do not distract me,” Lorcas replied firmly. “I came over to stop you from breaking my rookie’s leg.”

“Uh huh.” Gabriel pretended to pick a loose thread off the Huntsman’s tunic. “And if I was flirting with Vivi? What would you do then?”

Lorcas grabbed Gabriel’s wrist hard and stared into his ice-blue eyes. “I would have to punish you, baby.” 

Gabriel grinned at him. “Is that a threat or a promise?”

With a low growl that rumbled deep in his chest, Lorcas said, “You’re so much fucking trouble.” 

For a split second, Gabriel thought the Huntsman was going to kiss him, but there was a flash in his grey eyes, and he reconsidered it. They were standing in the middle of the enclave after all. Whether or not any of the overly observant Huntsmen on the team knew of their activities, it didn’t mean they had to go around flaunting it.

“Come on,” Lorcas said as he turned and pulled Gabriel down the risers after him. “Let’s go see Sera before she thinks we forgot about her.” He released Gabriel’s arm as they reached the bottom step, a moment before a small group of the second line Huntsmen emerged from the locker rooms.

As Gabriel walked with Lorcas from the enclave, he waved to Barach. His friend raised his chin in response, but he was busy presiding over the miserable looking rookie. The kid knelt before Barach, using a rag and bucket to scrub up his mess. Whomp was too embarrassed to look at anyone. 

When they were outside, Lorcas lingered at the balcony that overlooked the gap until all the other Huntsmen passed them. It was already dark, even though it was well before dinner. The sky was clear, which was a relief after the constant rains of Soldiers. The waterfall still flowed faster than usual, carrying all the excess water gathered from upstream. 

“Before we go,” said Lorcas, drawing Gabriel’s attention back to him, “I want to ask you something.”

Gabriel’s brow furrowed. Was that uncertainty he heard in the Huntsman’s voice? “What?”

Lorcas spoke, trying to sound casual, as if he hadn’t been rehearsing the question all day. “So, um, next weekend is our first Hunt, and I was wondering if, maybe, you would want to come with me?”

Gabriel frowned. Lorcas wouldn’t look at him. Before he could respond, the Huntsman continued.

“Sera said you needed to ask permission, that’s why I thought, if I asked you now, it would give you enough time to make arrangements.”

“Lorcas-”

“Stop finding excuses to say no,” the Huntsman snapped, suddenly sounding frustrated, as if he’d been arguing with Gabriel for hours about something he only just mentioned. “I want you to be there.”

The forthright words caught Gabriel off guard. “You do?”

Lorcas leaned on the railing, still refusing to meet Gabriel’s gaze. “I do. I know you think it’s stupid, but-”

“I’ll go.” 

Lorcas turned to look at him, blinking with surprise. “You will?”

Gabriel shrugged. “Yeah. Sure.”

“Really?”

“Don’t get weird about it,” Gabriel said sharply. “It’s only one game. And I still think it’s stupid.”

“One game.” Lorcas smiled. “Alright. Good. Great.” 

“You’re being weird,” Gabriel grumbled.

Lorcas laughed. “Whatever, baby. With you watching, there’s no way I’ll lose.” 

“Really? Cause I’d love to see you get knocked out.”

“That’s exactly why I’ll win. And when I do, I expect you on your knees, apologizing for ever doubting me.”

Gabriel snorted. “Yeah, right. Better be some fucking amazing game if you think I’ll suck your cock just because you win.”

“Oh, I was just looking for ‘Sorry,’ but if you really want to suck me off-”

Gabriel hit his arm, not hard enough to cause any damage, but enough to shut him up. The Huntsman laughed. “Let’s go tell Sera. She’ll be thrilled,” Lorcas said.

When Lorcas’ back was turned, Gabriel smiled and followed after.


	33. Barachiel: 17th Degree of Descendants, 596 DE

After the loss at the Summer Championship, there was some apprehension going into the first game of the Winter Hunt, but as soon as the match started, any uncertainty vanished. Led by Lorcasiel, Archridge won the game with a indisputable, flawless victory. Four tags and a kill, without either of the other teams even touching the beast. Lorcas had redeemed himself in the eyes of the team and all those at the lodge who greeted them after.

“Smile,” Lorcas said through clenched teeth. 

“You know I hate this part,” Barach grumbled, standing at Lorcas’ left.

On the other side of Lorcas, Vice-Captain Cariel said, “We all do. Suck it up, Ahnnak.” Her tone was harsh, but her smile was beatific as she waved out at her adoring fans. She had the ability to look both proud of the team’s win and humbled to be receiving such attention. She would make a good Captain next year.

Forcing a smile, Barach raised his hand and waved as they were presented to the applauding spectators. He caught sight of Erem on the balcony above, along with Gabriel and Sera, and for a second Barach focused on his boyfriend, his smile genuine. 

When the cacophony finally died down, the Archridge Hunt dispersed to mingle among the people who were deemed important enough to observe the game from the lodge. The celebration would last all night. Really, it was just another excuse for Terran and Ahnnak to party. Most of them didn’t care who won.

After Cariel split off with Duke, Barach followed Lorcas toward the balcony. They climbed the stairs, stopping every once in a while to accept praise from supporters and fans. 

Before they reached where their friends were waiting, the Captain of Salt Lake approached. “Lorcasiel. I offer you my congratulations on your win.” He held out his hand.

“Megrisiel, a win belongs to the team, not any single Huntsman.” Lorcas clasped the rival Captain’s forearm.

“Perhaps. But without you, I think your team would be lost. How do you do it?” There was a touch of contempt in his dark eyes.

“We train hard and trust each other,” Lorcas replied with a smile.

The Salt Lake Captain snorted. “Keep your secrets, then. I look forward to next season, when you will be merely a spectator.”

“You must tell me what it’s like, since you spent this game as merely a spectator yourself. Were you even on the field tonight, Megrisiel?”

Their hold on each other tightened, eyes locked, neither of them backing down from the challenge. For a second, Barach wondered if he might have to step in and separate them. 

Then Megrisiel released Lorcas and moved back. “I’ll see you in the Championship.”

“I look forward to it.”

The Captain of Salt Lake and one of his bruisers walked by Barach, both of them only sparing the Ahnnak a curt nod. Lorcas watched them leave, his shoulders tense, and only when they were gone did he continue across the second level toward Sera, Gabriel, and Erem.

“What was that about?” Barach asked while they walked. 

“They’re testing me. They think I’m weak, because this is my last season.” Lorcas smiled at Sera as she ran over and jumped into his arms. “Hi, love.” The two Terran kissed, and then she stroked his face, checking for any damage.

“What were you thinking?” Sera scolded. “That was reckless. You can’t just dive in like that! What if the boar caught your wing on one of its tusks? You couldn’t escape.”

“I’m fine. Unharmed, see?”

“I’ll be the judge of that. I’m going to check every single inch of you, and if I find even _one scratch_ -”

“Sera, I’m okay. This was easy. The boar was nothing.”

Barach wasn’t sure he would say it was nothing, but it had been a well executed Hunt. 

Erem stepped to Barach’s side and gave him a look, like he was thinking the exact same thing as Sera, but he was unable to voice his concerns. There were too many Ahnnak and high ranking Terran around. Someone might recognize them and mention them to their Isten if they acted too familiar. They just had to stand there awkwardly, not touching or being affectionate. Barach hated these parties. 

Gabriel, however, looked oddly suited to the atmosphere of the post-game celebration. There were threads of silver through his blue tunic, and his hair had been fixed in an elaborate braid. Probably Sera’s doing, but still, the Ahnnak looked like he belonged among all the other Lords and Ladies. He held a glass flute of wine in one hand, which he casually sipped when Lorcas focused on him.

“So? Did you enjoy watching your first Hunt?” asked the Captain. 

“It’s a waste,” Gabriel replied bluntly. “All that hype, and the beast was dead within an hour.”

“There’s no point making them suffer.” Lorcas approached Gabriel and turned him toward the balcony. He pointed at the conjured lights being broadcast high in the atrium by several Terran on the next level up. They were replaying highlights of the game. Lorcas’ other hand casually slipped under Gabriel’s wings to rest on the small of his back.

Barach frowned. Gabriel did nothing to move away from the blatantly familiar touch. It was appalling. How could Sera just stand there and watch them with that insipid little smile?

“See there?” asked Lorcas. “The boar’s tusk are dagger sharp and have the same range as our wingspan. Even if you’re standing behind it, it can turn on a hoof and slice you open.” The images overhead displayed when Duke tagged the beast. Tek distracted it while the Air Commander dove in. None of the Homm on their squad were anywhere near the thing, simply because they wouldn’t have been able to escape it on foot. Watching the replay, it was startling to see how close the two Terran had come to getting their wings ripped open by the thrashing boar.

“Why didn’t they just kill it?” Gabriel asked. “The game could have been over.”

“They got the first tag, but a boar is wickedly deadly, even against a full squad. The risk to taking it alone isn’t worth it.” Lorcas looked at Gabriel as he explained, “In a longer match, it’s difficult to tell if any other teams have tagged a beast before you. You don’t want to go through the effort of killing the creature, only to discover you don’t have enough tags to make up the point difference. Three tags and a kill is assured to win any game.” 

The scene switched to one of the aerial battles. “Now this,” said Lorcas, “was just before Cariel reached the boar. Salt Lake had located the beast, but we cut them off.” 

The images were fast and difficult for the broadcasters to replicate. Disjointed wings flailed, the battle appearing chaotic in the conjuration. It wasn’t anywhere near so disorganized during the game. Hul and Ombri had taken out the other team’s bruiser while Lorcas incapacitated the two Terran weapons. Barach merely glared at the Salt Lake tracker, and the boy had retreated with his comrades. The skirmish was over in less time than it took for the display to render in the air over them. 

Barach turned away. He never liked seeing the replay of the battles after the match. He especially didn’t like watching them while Lorcas used them as an excuse to stand that close to Gabriel. Brow furrowed in annoyance, Barach focused on examining the crowd around them.

On this level, it was mostly Terran and Ahnnak. The Homm in attendance tended to stay on the lower level, mingling with each other, even if they were from opposing teams. A few Terran could be seen among them, like Mikkon, who was more comfortable hanging out with Ku-Vox than he was observing the expected formalities of the higher levels. 

The next level up above Barach was where important Ahnnak and Terran observed the Hunt. They had windows overlooking the field, as well as a live feed processed by top conjuration masters. Access to the area was blocked by stern looking guards. Barach probably could have gained entrance if he presented himself as Pahaliah’s son, but he didn’t want to get stuck entertaining self absorbed windbags all evening.

Erem tensed beside Barach, drawing his attention. The blue-skinned boy was staring at the broadcast highlights as they switched to the final battle. He looked uneasy.

“Are you okay?” Barach whispered. 

“I hate this part,” Erem said, yellow eyes focused on the display.

As Barach watched, he understood why. 

“After we got the fourth tag in the beast, we simply had to dispatch it,” Lorcas said confidently. “A boar will fight until its last breath, even skewered through its chest like this one.” 

In the grainy display, Barach had a pike braced against his hip. The boar, nearly twice his height, was on the other end of the stick. Its frothing, bloodied mouth gaped. The conjuration didn’t play sound, but during the game, the thing had been screeching, its hot breath making Barach’s feathers curl. It took all his strength to hold the pike, and the beast’s thrashing still hadn’t been controllable. Its hooves ripped furrows in the dirt as it lunged down the pike, impaling itself further in its crazed attempt to charge Barach. 

A blurry image of Pon-Pon shot in from the side, another pike skewering the boar at an angle that prevented it from reaching Barach. The wood bent, nearly snapping from the pressure. The enraged boar tossed its head toward her. 

Barach saw how close it had come to hurting Pon-Pon. If the creature had been given any extra movement at all, it would have gored the Homm girl. She bravely faced it, holding her ground, even though she had no chance of surviving the beast if it broke free.

Then Lorcas came in, sliding under the pikes and swinging around the boar’s neck. The display couldn’t render the flash of his sword, but the gush of blood that followed covered everything. The Captain’s cut was precise, and the boar fell with barely a grunt. The pikes were ripped from Barach and Pon-Pon’s hands as it fell, but the fearsome beast was dead. 

“You nearly died,” Erem whispered, his blue skin looking a little paler than usual. Based on what the display showed, Barach understood why Erem sounded so upset.

“It was the capture angle,” Barach said. “It wasn’t that dangerous. The beast wasn’t anywhere close enough to hurt me.” Erem didn’t look reassured.

“Four tags and the kill,” said Lorcas proudly. “No other team even touched the beast. It was a flawless victory.”

Gabriel smiled at him. “Show off.” 

The Captain laughed. Barach scowled. Maybe, if he hadn’t been so annoyed by the flirtatious banter between the two of them, he would have noticed when an Isten walked up behind their group. 

As it was, he was just as surprised as everyone else when the dual-resonate voice behind them said, “Terran Lorcasiel.”

Everyone turned in an instant. Lorcas stepped forward and bowed low, extending one wing and placing his hand over his heart. 

“My Lord Isten Damabiath,” he said, his voice tight, trying to hide how startled he was. “It is an honor to be in your presence. Had I known you were here, I would have paid my respects immediately. Forgive me.”

The Isten Damabiath smiled. He was a large man, taller than Barach, with broad shoulders and thick arms. His brown hair was woven with sprigs of teal foliage Barach was unfamiliar with. Perhaps they were preserved plants from Ahn. They could have been purely decorative, though the Isten Damabiath didn’t seem like a man concerned with fashion.

“If I had wanted you to know I was here, you would have, my Huntsman. Rise. Introduce your companions.” The Isten spoke with two tones, like a partial chord in a song. Barach could do it himself, if he was singing, but to use it as a normal speaking voice was incredibly difficult. Then again, Isten tended to do things like that just to remind people that they were different. 

More important.

Lorcas stood at attention, with his wings tightly folded against his back as he introduced everyone. When he said their names, each of them bowed to the Isten. “May I present Ahnnak Gabriel, first born and heir to the Isten Jequn. My squad’s bruiser, Ahnnak Barachiel, son of the Isten Pahaliah. And their friend and classmate, Ahnnak Eremiel, son of the Isten Harut.” 

Damabiath inclined his head to each of them. “What a pleasure meeting you all here with my Huntsman. I expect Lorcasiel has been nothing but a gracious host to you all.”

“Yes, sir,” said Gabriel. “This is my first Hunt, and he has been very accommodating.”

“Wonderful.” Damabiath smiled. “I am pleased to see you did not inherit your father’s opposition toward diversion, though you certainly inherited everything else. I could have recognized you by your hair alone. You look just like Jequn.”

“So I’ve been told.” Gabriel’s face was a perfect mask, his smile carefully controlled. Only his eyes gave any hint to his true thoughts on the matter, and he was even getting better about hiding that. If Barach hadn’t known him so well, he might have assumed Gabriel was enjoying this talk with the Isten. “If you wish, I can give my father your regards when I see him next.”

Damabiath laughed. “Yes, that would please me. I should like to see his face when he discovers I have found another way to annoy him.”

“Sir?” Gabriel’s eyebrow raised.

“Ah, you see, I’m an the curator of our agricultural capabilities on Ter. I’ve been requesting modification to local flora since we arrived on this planet, and though Jequn has often obliged me, he is a man who does not tolerate distractions well.” The Isten motioned to the party around them. “He also does not see events such as these as necessary diversions for the workers who toil and grind in our names, for the sake of E’din. He considers them frivolous.”

“That does sound like him,” Gabriel agreed solemnly.

“There is more to our mission on Ter than can be accomplished in a few generations,” said the Isten. He looked at Barach. “Your mother understands this well, even if it does not please her.”

“Yes, sir,” Barach replied, bowing his head in acknowledgment. 

“We must develop a culture of our own,” the Isten continued, turning his attention back toward Lorcas. The Captain of the Hunt lowered his gaze respectfully. “We will have a culture of heroes and bravery, where anyone, even an orphaned Terran, can rise up to greatness in the eyes of the public, so long as he is loyal to the Isten and to E’din.” Damabiath touched Lorcas’ chin, raising his face to peer into his grey eyes. “So long as he is obedient.”

“I am yours, my Lord Isten,” Lorcas stated. “My victories are always in your name.”

“And your losses? What of those?” Damabiath still smiled, but his tone had changed, becoming dissonant. “I had feared the discussion we might need to have if you had not won this match.”

Lorcas swallowed hard. “It will not happen again, my Lord Isten.”

“You are devoted to me, my Huntsman?” 

“Yes, my Lord.” 

“In all things?”

“Yes, my Lord.” 

“Then why have you not introduced all your companions?”

For a second, Lorcas lost his composure. His wings twitched, but he quickly pulled them in tight against his back. The Isten released his chin, and they both turned to look at Sera, who had done her best to fade from the group, remaining by the balcony with her face lowered. She had been seen, though, and there was no escaping now.

Lorcas held his hand out, presenting the girl as the Isten looked on expectantly. “F-Forgive me, my Lord Isten. This is a classmate of mine from the Advanced Curriculum course. S-Sera.”

“Sera?” The Isten said her name with the sharp reprimand of those who disapproved of the rebuke of the old custom. 

“Terran Seraphiel,” Lorcas quickly corrected, though saying her full name seemed to pain him.

“Seraphiel.” 

“My Lord Isten.” Sera bowed low. She wouldn’t meet his gaze, which was probably smart.

The Isten appraised the lavender-haired girl from head to toe, in all her flowing skirts and dainty jewelry. “I know your namesake. Needless to say, he would be disappointed to hear one such as you had been bestowed his name.” 

“Yes, my Lord Isten,” she said, barely a quaver to her voice. 

“What business do you have with my Huntsman?” the Isten demanded.

“I am merely a fan of the Hunt, my Lord Isten,” she said. She was surprisingly composed for someone at the focus of an Isten’s displeasure. Barach actually felt bad for her. 

“I have seen you around these events before,” said Damabiath. “If you have any intentions of distracting my Huntsman-”

“No,” Lorcas interjected. He immediately winced for speaking out of turn and interrupting. “No, my Lord Isten. Forgive me. Our relationship is not like that.” 

Damabiath frowned. “Then what business does that one have among you?”

Then Gabriel, the complete moron, answered. “Sera is here with me,” he announced. “As my girlfriend.”

If Damabiath had been unhappy about the possibility of a relationship between Lorcas and Sera, he was absolutely appalled that Gabriel could be involved in the matter in any way. “You sully your father’s name with the likes of this barren epicene?” 

If Barach could have smacked Gabriel right then, he would have. Instead, he repeated over and over in his head, _Don’t fight with the Isten, don’t fight with the Isten_ , hoping, that maybe, his dumb ass friend might develop the ability to hear his thoughts.

However, that wasn’t the case. Gabriel looked up at Damabiath without of shred of deference. “My affairs are my own, sir, though you can rest assured, I will perform my duty to my lineage when the time comes. Until then, I have free reign to choose who I spend my time with, and where, even if it is at frivolous little events like this.”

There was a twitch at the corner of the Isten’s mouth, revealing the man’s barely suppressed anger. He glared at Gabriel, any civility lost. “If you were my heir, I would beat that mouth off you.”

“Rest assured, sir, he has tried,” Gabriel replied.

Damabiath sneered. “Come with me, Terran Lorcasiel. I am done here. I have colleagues to introduce you to.”

“Yes, my Lord Isten.” Lorcas bowed.

“After, I will arrange for some appropriate companionship for you, in celebration of your victory,” said the Isten. “You will attend them in my quarters.” 

Lorcas glanced back at Sera. She gave him a weak smile. “Thank you, my Lord Isten,” said Lorcas, a pained look on his face. “You honor me.” 

“It was a pleasure meeting you all,” Damabiath cordially said to the three Ahnnak. Without waiting for a response, he turned and strode away, the white cloak of his six wings trailing after him. Lorcas gave Sera one last apologetic look, then took a deep breath, straightened his shoulders, and followed after his Isten.

When they were gone, Erem frowned and said, “What an asshole.” 

Though he didn’t disagree, Barach pinched Erem’s arm. “Hush. He’s still an Isten. Be respectful.”

Erem rolled his eyes, then rubbed the back of his arm.

“Are you okay?” Gabriel asked Sera. 

She nodded, though her eyes were filled with tears. “Don’t worry. It’s not the first time something like this has happened. Probably not the last, either.” She sniffled.

“Why don’t you sleep in my room tonight? You shouldn’t be alone.”

“Thanks, but, I’m not really in the mood to-”

“Nothing like that,” said Gabriel. “I just… I just don’t trust what might happen if you go unaccompanied tonight.” 

Sera’s lavender eyes widened. “Y-You think…?”

“It’s possible.”

“He’ll try to hurt me?” Sera looked to Barach, like she somehow thought he might be a reasonable voice in the matter.

Barach shrugged. “Accidents happen.”

“There are no accidents,” Gabriel replied firmly. “And there won’t be any tonight. I’ll take care of you.”

Sera definitely looked like she was going to cry now. “T-Thank you, Gabriel. I don’t know what to say.” 

“It’s nothing,” he replied.

Barach sighed heavily. “We’ll stay with you, too.”

“We will?” asked Erem.

“Our room is right across the hall. It’s no trouble.” 

Erem frowned. “It’s not?”

Barach gave Erem a stern look, but the boy just pouted up at him. 

“It’s okay,” Gabriel said. “We’ll be fine. I’ll set up a ward, and if we have a problem, I’ll notify you.” 

“Are you sure, Gabriel?” Barach asked.

The silver-haired boy smiled. “Keeping Sera safe is the least I can do. Come morning, I’ll turn her over to Lorcas, safe and sound, and everything will be fine.”

They all stood in silence for a moment, because, when it came to the Isten, when did anything ever really turn out fine?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((I had some extended family emergencies to take care of at the beginning of January, so fell a bit off my writing schedule. I'm still trying to find time to rebuild my momentum, but it's been hard to focus. I'm nearly at the end of the year of Archridge, and I miss writing about my boys, but I'm needing to go back and reread a lot before pressing on. It's going a little slower that I had hoped, but I'll try to update again as soon as I can.))


	34. Alex: 26th Degree of Descendants, 596 DE

In the months before the Descendants Festival, the students from the chemistry specialization devoted themselves to crafting hundreds of fireworks. The task was part of the curriculum, but for most of the students, it was a chance to show off their knowledge and skill in an explosive display visible high over Marut. Over the years, the task became a contest among the students in the specialization to see who could produce the most elaborate presentation within the time frame they were given. Even the instructors participated with a certain amount of pride for their production of the breathtaking finale.

Of course, if anyone was asked, they would all say the display was done only as a way of honoring the descendants of the Isten, but Isten and Ahnnak seldom seemed to be on anyone’s mind as the students and instructors busily set up for tonight’s display on the plateau over Archridge. Dozens of students hauled long sticks capped in explosive rockets onto the field, carrying them over their shoulders. Instructors busied about, making sure everyone knew their timing and their launch trajectories. It was chaos, but it was exciting to watch, especially because it was so easy to imagine something going wrong.

At least, that was what Isa and Uzzi insisted when they dragged Alex up to the flight stones to watch that morning. 

“It’ll be fun,” they said. “Nakia is coming with Mace and Phrasa. You have to go.”

Alex didn’t think he had to do anything with any of them if he didn’t want to, but it was a lot easier to think such things than it was to say them. His roommates had been increasingly difficult since the incident on the cliffs in Justice. No one talked about any of it, of course. Not Nakia’s jump, or the wine, or the intoxicated kissing game, but the events that night had strengthened the rivalry between Uzzi and Isa. Neither of them trusted the other to be alone in the room with Alex. They went everywhere together, leading to several mistaken assumptions that the boys were best friends. 

Maybe they were, in a weird way Alex struggled to understand. They didn’t fight all the time.

Still, their tense rivalry had actually worked out well for Alex. Neither Uzzi or Isa was ever alone with him for long, which meant he never had to explain his feelings toward them. He doubted he could do it anyway. He didn’t know how he felt. Kissing Uzzi and kissing Isa had both been very different experiences. With Isa, the kiss felt like just a game, but Uzzi had been there. He watched, and he didn’t say anything or try to stop it. Maybe he thought kissing was always just a game, and he’d never really meant it in the first place.

It was confusing. Alex definitely didn’t think kissing was a game, and if he had the choice, he’d never do it again with either of the boys. At this point, the only thing he was certain about was that if he chose to kiss either Uzzi or Isa again, the other would be devastated. Alex couldn’t bear putting either of them through that, so he did the next best thing. He avoided them both.

That meant spending a lot of time up in Nakia’s room in Imperial housing. The Homm princess welcomed Alex graciously whenever she was around, though sometimes, when she wasn’t, he went in and slept on her bed anyway. It was easier to sleep there without Uzzi and Isa bickering. Plus, Alex was still visiting the zvik at night whenever he could, so he was usually exhausted during the day. 

At least that was one thing Alex wasn’t confused about. Sneaking out of the academy to visit the zvik in the western forest was the highlight of most of his weeks. He enjoyed it. Sometimes, he even saw Lorcasiel there, though mostly just on nights the Huntsman came to feed the zvik. 

“Alex?”

“Hm?” Alex looked over at Nakia. She lounged beside him on the flight stones, watching the bustle of students in the field before them. They were alone on top of the big grey rock. Uzzi and Isa, despite their insistence that everyone come up here, had already lost interest in the event. They had found a ball in the tall grass in the middle of the stones and started playing some game with Mace and Phrasa. 

“Who are you going to the festival with tonight?” asked the princess.

“I don’t think I’m going,” he replied.

“But don’t you want to see the fireworks go off?” She nodded toward the students carefully aligning their rockets in wooden racks. 

“Not really.”

“No? Have you ever seen them before?”

“I have. Once, two years ago, with…” _With Gabriel_. Why was it so hard to say his name? “They were too loud.”

“Is that why you don’t want to go?”

“No. I wasn’t asked.”

“Asked?” Nakia’s eyebrows raised. “Oh, you mean like on a date.”

Alex scrunched up his nose at her. “No, not like a date. It’s the Descendants Festival. I’m supposed to go with, um… with…”

She knew who he was talking about even if he couldn’t say it. “Oh. Why aren’t you?”

“Because he’s not speaking to me anymore.” Alex flicked a loose bit of gravel from the top of the stone. “I think he’d be happy if he never saw me again.” 

“You’re being dramatic.”

Maybe he was a little, but Gabriel had told him he didn’t want anyone to know they were related. Anytime Alex spoke to him risked someone discovering that the Academy’s perfect Silver Prince had a defective, stupid little brother. 

Alex folded his arms around his knees and hugged himself. That wasn’t exactly what Gabriel had said, but it certainly felt like it. 

Nakia regarded him for a moment before she said, “Well, little bird, if it was a date, who would you want to ask you? Uzzi or Isa?”

Alex lay his cheek on his knees and looked over at her. She was teasing him, trying to keep him from dwelling on things that made him sad. She did it with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, but she was worried about him. He didn’t know why, but that did make him feel better.

“Neither,” he answered and stuck out his tongue. “And you better keep your voice down, or they’ll hear and steal the idea.”

“But it might be a fun idea.” She bumped her shoulder against his. “One that ends with a kiss under the fireworks. Imagine your lips touching with fireworks exploding overhead.” She sighed wistfully. “So romantic.”

Alex laughed and hid his face against his knees. “That’s terrible!”

Nakia raised an eyebrow. “So you’re telling me if one of them walked over right now and asked, you’d tell him no?”

“That’s not going to happen.” 

“But if it did?”

Alex raised his head, unable to hide the light blush across his cheeks. “ _If_ that happened, then-”

“Hey, guys, what’re you talking about?” Uzzi landed on the stone and wedged himself in between Alex and Nakia. The fiery boy grunted as he sat. He was breathing hard, heat radiating from him.

Nakia glared sharply at him. “Didn’t anyone ever teach you that it’s rude to interrupt?”

“No, Princess, they did not, and if they did, I probably forgot.” They made faces at each other, then Uzzi explained why he’d come over. “Mace and Isa started arguing about the game. I tried to tell him he’s going to lose against her, but he thinks he’s right and he’s not giving it up. They’re going to be at it a while, so Phrasa decided it’s time for lunch. Coming?”

“Yeah, we’re coming.” Nakia stood, and as she looked down at Uzzi and Alex, a strange expression crossed her face. “You know… It’s been a while since you two have had a chance to talk.” She nudged Uzzi with her foot when he started to get distracted by the fireworks setup in the field. “ _Alone. Without Isa_ ,” she emphasized meaningfully when Uzzi glared up at her.

The red circles of Uzzi’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and then raised as what she was saying finally clicked and made sense. “Oh. _Oh!_ ”

Nodding, Nakia said, “I’ll make sure no one notices if you two are a little slower to follow us.” She walked over to the edge of the stone.

“You need help down?” Uzzi asked.

“I climbed up here myself, I’ll climb down myself.”

“Nakia, wait,” Alex said, reaching past Uzzi for her.

“Have fun watching the fireworks, New Moon!” she said cheerfully as she swung off the ledge. She kicked off the stone, landed with a roll, then sprang up and checked her dagger at her hip. Pleased to find it in place, she waved up at the boys atop the stone and jogged over to join Phrasa, who was guiding Isa and Mace toward the stairs into the academy.

“Weird girl,” Uzzi muttered, watching them go. He turned to Alex. “What did she mean about the fireworks?”

“I don’t know,” Alex replied and stood. “It won’t take long before they notice we’re missing. We should go.”

Uzzi grabbed Alex’s wrist before he could fly down from the stone. “Wait. I really do need to talk to you.”

“Now? Uzzi, I’m hungry.”

“You’re always hungry.” Uzzi stood, but he didn’t let go of Alex’s wrist. His fingers were able to wrap completely around his bony arm, even though Alex was now unquestionably taller than the fiery boy. “You’ve been avoiding me.”

“You’ve been busy with stalking Isa.”

“I haven’t-” Uzzi grit his teeth and sighed. Smoke curled from the corner of his mouth. “Alex, please. Just give me a few minutes.” 

“Fine. But can we at least walk while you talk to me? I really am hungry.”

“Yeah, alright,” Uzzi conceded. He let go of Alex’s arm and they both flew down from the stones. It wasn’t a long walk across the field, even if they walked slow. Uzzi didn’t waste any time. “Alex, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?”

“For letting Isa kiss you on the cliffs.”

“You said it was just a game, remember?”

“Yes, and I’m sorry about saying that, too. I didn’t mean it. I wanted to punch him the moment he touched you.” Uzzi clenched his fists. The air around him heated. “He’s such a jerk. Can you believe he actually thinks you like him?”

“I do like him.”

“What?!” Uzzi’s wings popped open, his feathers all ruffled. He spun and grabbed Alex’s arm again, stopping him in his tracks.

“I like him as a friend,” Alex clarified. Uzzi’s touch was nearly too hot, but it felt nice compared to the chill the winter winds brought. 

“But he’s a jerk,” Uzzi complained.

“He’s nice to me.”

“That’s because he wants to kiss you again.”

“So do you.”

“What?”

“You want to kiss me again. Does that make you a jerk, too?”

Uzzi released Alex’s arm as he stammered, “No. I mean yes, I want to kiss you, but no, that doesn’t make me a jerk.”

“Why?”

“Because I saw you first. You’re mine.” 

Alex tilted his head, looking at Uzzi with expressionless black eyes. “I don’t belong to anyone,” he stated.

“I didn’t mean it like that.” Uzzi sighed. “I like you, Alex. Even though you’re not a girl, I really like you. I want to be your boyfriend.”

“Uzzi, I don’t think I’m ready to have a boyfriend.”

“But you kissed me. I thought you liked kissing me.”

“I kissed Isa, too.”

“That was just a game! It doesn’t count!” There was a spike of heat around Uzzi. A small flame curled over his lips. 

Alex pulled his wings in tight against his back. “I liked kissing you, but it was scary, too. I need more time. Can’t we just stay friends?”

“Friends, like you’re friends with Isa?” He was angry. Alex didn’t like when Uzzi was angry.

“It’s different with you. You’re my best friend, Uzzi. Please don’t be mad at me.” 

“Why do you have to make everything so difficult, Alex?” Uzzi fluttered his wings, trying to get his feathers to lay flat.

“I’m sorry.” Alex lowered his eyes. He tried to look pitiful and contrite. 

Uzzi stared at him, trying to stay mad, but he couldn’t do it. He stamped his foot and swore. “Fiends, Alex, you start crying and we’re not going to be able to go to lunch. They’ll all beat me up if they think I did something to make you cry.”

Alex peered at him through his thick black lashes. “I won’t cry if you’re not mad.”

“That’s not fair.”

Alex sniffled and stuck out his lower lip. 

Uzzi groaned. “Fine. You win. I’m not mad.”

“Really?” 

“Yeah,” Uzzi turned and started walking toward the stairs again. “I just don’t want you kissing anyone else. Especially not Isa.”

“I won’t,” Alex promised as he caught up with him. “Not even for games.”

“Good.” Uzzi glanced over from the corner of his eye. “I guess then, maybe, I don’t mind waiting until you’re ready.”

Alex smiled at his friend. “Hey, Uzzi?”

“Hm?”

“Do you want to come see the fireworks with me tonight?”

Uzzi stared at Alex for a moment, stunned by the question, but then he smiled. As he started to respond, however, he never got the chance. Uzzi’s body twitched with a jolt of pain. He blinked several times, brow furrowed, and said, “Ow.”

Alex looked around. There was no one near them. No one was even watching them. “Uzzi? What’s wrong?”

Uzzi’s eyes widened. “A-Alex? It hurts.” Flames curled from his lips as he spoke. The air around him started getting hotter. “I can’t stop it. I-It hurts.”

“What happened?” Alex reached toward his friend.

Uzzi jerked away, eyes filled with fear. “No! Stay back!” His temperature spiked drastically as he panicked, and in an instant, the blast of heat ignited his shirt. The linen burned and blackened, leaving a bright afterglow at the edges before the fabric turned to ash. White smoke curled up around Uzzi, rising in the heat he produced.

Something was very wrong. The fire didn’t smell right. It didn’t smell like Uzzi. Alex moved closer, entering the scorching aura that surrounded his friend. “You need to stay calm,” Alex said, keeping his voice steady. “What happened?”

“I can’t stop,” Uzzi cried. Sparks rose from the corners of his eyes, like tears formed of flame. “It hurts so much.” His lips blistered from the fire that crackled over his skin. 

He was too hot, rapidly spiraling out of control. The fire was hurting him. Fire had never burned Uzzi before. Something had caused the shift. Something was making him lose control.

“It’s okay,” Alex said, stepping toward Uzzi with his arms and wings spread. His long, black hair rose in the air behind him, blown up by the heat emanating from his friend. “I won’t leave you.”

“You’ll get hurt.” Uzzi took another step back. The veins under his skin began to glow. 

“You could never hurt me,” Alex replied. As he took the last step to his friend, he could feel his skin begin to blister. He didn’t have time to think about the pain. He couldn’t delay a second more. He grabbed Uzzi and pulled him into a tight embrace.

Vaguely, Alex was aware that the grass at their feet had caught fire. Smoke surrounded them as the fire rapidly spread across the dry grass covering the plateau. They would suffocate if they stayed there too long, but it didn’t matter. 

Alex closed his eyes. He held on to Uzzi, even as his skin and clothing began to burn. Spots of fire burst in the air around them, blackening the edges of their white feathers. Alex focused past the pain, opened himself up, and released his energy.

Black coils twisted between the flames that burst out of Uzzi’s skin. Alex spun them in the patterns the zvik taught him, pushing himself backward. Time began to slow.

It wasn’t enough.

Every beat of his heart brought him further away from what had triggered Uzzi’s meltdown. Was it seconds? Minutes? Alex wasn’t sure, but he couldn’t wait. He grit his teeth and stretched backward, opening himself up more. 

_It hurts so much_ , the shadows of Uzzi cried over and over. Alex’s energy snagged on the pain. It lingered there like the agony belonged to him.

No. This was nothing. Alex had endured worse that this before. He would not be stopped.

His black energy pulsed, bringing about fresh memories of Uzzi’s misery and panic. Alex reached back through the seconds, reliving them over and over like an inescapable cyclone of fiery torment. But every time, he saw more.

_There._

_Ow._

Alex couldn’t hear the word, but he saw Uzzi’s shadow say it. Alex focused on that point, searching for what had hurt his friend. 

A small, fast shadow caught Alex’s attention. It barely registered at the edge of his vision, but he saw it. It burst into existence within the shadows around Uzzi only long enough to hit his neck and make him twitch. That had to be it.

Alex gasped, dropping back into the present to discover his skin crackled when he tried to raise his arm. Flames poured from Uzzi’s nose and mouth with every frantic breath. His cheeks were starting to crack, unable to withstand the heat any longer.

Blocking out the pain, Alex raised his fire blistered arms. He touched the back of Uzzi’s neck, searching for what he had seen. His fingertips burned against Uzzi’s skin. 

Uzzi felt like he was going to explode.

Something pricked Alex’s finger. There was a sharp bump jutting from Uzzi’s neck, partially embedded in his spine. Alex pulled at it with his nails. Uzzi opened his mouth to cry out in pain, but only the sound of the inferno raging within him emerged. It was like the suffering of some great beast. Uzzi’s whole body vibrated, making it impossible for Alex to hold on. 

“I’m here,” Alex whispered, the heat scorching his throat. “I won’t leave you.” He pressed his mouth against Uzzi’s, breathing in the pain and fire, and for just a second, Uzzi stilled.

Alex dug his nails into Uzzi’s neck and ripped out the shard, along with a good chunk of Uzzi’s flesh. His fist closed tightly around it, but he had seen it. A light blue crystal, like a shard of glass. It was powerful, and somehow familiar.

With the crystal shard extracted, Uzzi’s energy flickered out almost immediately, evaporating into the smoke around them. Uzzi collapsed. Alex didn’t have the strength to hold him, so he fell, too. Patches of his burnt clothing stuck to Uzzi’s skin, tearing away from where it had seared into Alex’s chest. The wooden medallion Alex always wore fell to the charred grass between the boys. The wood had blackened completely, the lucky design lost.

Uzzi wasn’t breathing. Smoke poured from his open mouth. His eyes were fused shut. His heart was beating, though weak, but he needed to breathe. Alex knew Uzzi could heal, if only he had time.

Alex adjusted Uzzi in the grass. The smoke from the grass fire was beginning to clear. He heard shouting in the distance, but help was too far away. Uzzi needed to breath _now._ He pressed his mouth to his friend’s and forced air into his seared lungs. Alex felt some of his breath come out Uzzi’s nose. The black-haired boy struggled to remember. Had Jequn pinched his nose when he revived him like this?

Trying again, Alex pinched Uzzi’s nose and breathed into his mouth. He saw his friend’s chest rise.

_Yes, good!_

Alex continued to breathe for them both while he strained to listen for Uzzi’s faint heartbeat.

 _Stay with me_ , Alex thought desperately. 

There was chaos in the field. The fire had spread fast across the plateau. It reached the students setting up fireworks before most of them could react. Some managed to grab their rockets, but most just fled. The fire ignited the remaining fuses as Terran desperately tried to escape. 

Explosions launched the fireworks into the air over the field Alex and Uzzi lay in. The concussive sound would bring everyone into the field. Help would come soon.

As sparks of colors floated down on the cold winter air, Alex curled over Uzzi and continued to share his breath with his friend. Everything was quiet. The explosions had deafened Alex enough that he didn’t hear when the medics arrived. They pried the boys apart, but by then, Uzzi had managed to take a few sharp breaths on his own. 

A yellow healing aura surrounded Uzzi, and Alex knew he would survive. With that assurance, Alex finally allowed himself to pass out as medics lifted his burnt body. Even unconscious, his fist remained tightly closed around the blue shard that had nearly killed his friend.


	35. Gabriel: 1st Degree of Saviors, 596 DE

Gabriel stormed through the cold stone halls of Archridge with murder on his mind. Anyone who saw him quickly got out of his way. That was for the best. He probably would have killed them, even if they weren’t his intended target.

Alex was in the hospital. Gabriel visited as soon as Headmaster Iscriel told him Alex was hurt. The boy had still been sedated, wrapped in so many layers of gauze he was barely recognizable. Gabriel was furious that they had waited a day, _a whole damned day,_ to tell him Alex was injured. They thought he was going to make a scene.

Gabriel made a scene. He left two medics bleeding before he locked himself in the room with his unconscious little brother.

There was no excuse for it. Gabriel’s grades had been flawless. There was no reason Alex should have been hurt at all. 

A fire. 

Burns. 

That fiend-taken little Terran arsonist who had no business being anywhere near Alex. 

Gabriel should kill him, too.

He sat by Alex’s bed, struggling to understand what he had done wrong. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. He had everything under control, so why was Alex hurt?

That was when he noticed his brother’s fist, still tightly closed around something. Gabriel pried back Alex’s grey nails, and was horrified by what he found sitting on his burnt palm.

But then, suddenly, everything made sense. 

Gabriel took the crystal from Alex’s hand. He stroked his brother’s black hair, and then left the hospital without a word to the terrorized staff. They would take care of Alex, because if they didn’t, he would come back for them.

Gabriel had locked himself in his room all weekend. The blue shard sat beside him on the desk as he cross referenced events and dates. Every time he looked at the crystal, it made him angrier.

That was _his_ energy. 

It was a shard from a crystallized energy casing, like the one he had blown up in Lorcasiel’s face last year. In fact, Gabriel was certain it was part of the same casing, just like he was certain he knew who was hurting Alex on Jequn’s orders.

Gabriel couldn’t risk being wrong. He had to have proof. It was hard to believe that someone he once trusted and respected could betray him like this, but by the time the sun rose on the first degree of Saviors, Gabriel had no doubts.

The classroom Gabriel stood before was not his morning class. He was skipping his lessons today. There were more important things to take care of. He threw open the door and stepped in, startling some of the young students in the room. 

“Isten Elohim, I demand to speak to you at once,” Gabriel snapped.

The Isten raised an eyebrow, appraising Gabriel casually. “About?”

“You know damn well what it’s about, you-”

Elohim held up his hand. “Ahnnak Gabriel, this is not the place to reveal such concerns. Wait for me in my office.”

“I am not leaving here without you.”

“ _Wait for me in my office_ ,” he repeated, projecting his voice in that threatening tone Isten often used to send fear shooting through most people’s minds.

Except Gabriel wasn’t most people. And he was filled with too much rage to feel anything as pointless as fear. He held his ground, glaring at the Isten. “I want answers.”

“And you will have them,” Elohim promised. “As long as we have this discussion alone.” 

The Isten wasn’t denying what Gabriel knew to be true. He seemed willing to talk about it, too. Gabriel’s eye twitched. “Fine.” He turned and stomped out of the room. He slammed the door shut hard enough to fracture the wood.

The Isten Elohim’s office wasn’t far. It was unlocked, because no one would really be stupid enough to tamper with an Isten’s belongings. Gabriel walked in and sat before the desk with his arms crossed. He waited for a few minutes, furious, then kicked the desk with his heel. The ink well tipped over. Black ink seeped across the papers on the desk and dripped onto the floor.

It made Gabriel feel a little better, though only marginally.

Before long, the Isten Elohim arrived. The first class hadn’t ended yet, but he probably dismissed them early. Elohim raised the phosphor lights to the room, then closed and locked the door behind him. He turned to face Gabriel, though his eyes settled on the dark stain spreading across his desk. 

“I had hoped you would have outgrown this immature behavior,” the Isten stated. 

“Fuck you,” Gabriel replied. “You’ve been trying to kill my brother.”

“Nonsense.” Elohim walked over. He waved his hand over the desk. In that single motion, he righted the ink well, lifted the spilled ink into the air, and returned it to the bottle. There wasn’t a stain left on either the wood or parchment. It was infuriating. The Isten sat across from Gabriel. “It was never my intention to kill anyone. I understand your concerns, though.”

“My _concerns?!_ Alex could have died!”

The double pupils of each of Elohim’s eyes turned to tiny black dots, focused on Gabriel. “You lose your manners when you are distressed. It’s very unbecoming for an heir.”

“Fuck manners and fuck being an heir!” Gabriel stood, grabbed the refilled ink bottle, and threw it across the room. It hit the wall and burst in a spray of black ink and glass. Gabriel glared down at Elohim, daring him to clean that up, too.

The Isten just watched him, aggravatingly composed. “I am willing to speak to you, Ahnnak Gabriel, but there is a limit to my patience. Mind your tone and sit down.” When Gabriel remained standing, the Isten added, “I will remind you that your brother is the one who suffers for your defiance.”

Jaw clenched and wings open behind him, Gabriel sat heavily on the bench. He didn’t bother trying to fold his wings. They were stiff, practically vibrating with anger. “Why? Why would you do any of this?”

“An Isten is allowed to raise his progeny as he sees fit, especially when guiding the development of his heir. And I must say, Jequn certainly understands what motivates his sons. You’ve made amazing progress.”

“Fuck you,” Gabriel snapped. “You’ve been torturing a child on his orders.”

“I owed him a favor,” said Elohim. “Jequn simply made a request, and I agreed to assist him.”

“You’re nothing but another of his cowering, void-eaten servants. You know he hates you, right?”

A ripple went through Elohim’s six wings, creating an unnerving rattling of his feathers. “Your youth betrays you. Hate is an emotion reserved for those whose lives shatter with the rising and setting of the sun. Jequn and I may not agree on everything, but that does not change our shared allegiance. We do what me must to benefit Ahn.”

“How does hurting Alex benefit Ahn?” Gabriel demanded. “How does any of this benefit Ahn?! I think you are a coward, and that is why you follow my father’s orders. You’re weak and pathetic. You’re scared of him, and that’s why you’ve taken to tormenting a child at his request, because you’re a fiend-fucking, disgraceful-” 

Gabriel didn’t get the chance to finish his tirade. The Isten raised his hand, and suddenly, all the air vacated Gabriel’s lungs. Elohim’s power suffused the office, thick and suffocating. Gabriel struggled to inhale. His wings beat at the air, slow and sluggish, like he was being held deep underwater.

The Isten Elohim calmly watched Gabriel’s increasing panic. “You know I killed my first two heirs?” he mentioned conversationally. “I tested them for their elemental capabilities when they were infants. Neither of them were capable of withstanding the voltage expected for my heir, and so, they died. My third was strong enough, even if his control is less than I had hoped, but he has been very obedient and understanding of his expected role in E’din these past three centuries. That is why I am able to devote so much of my time to teaching future generations at Archridge. Because I have an adequate heir trained to fulfill my duties in my stead.” 

Gabriel placed his hands on Elohim’s desk and leaned forward, head bowed. Black spots were beginning to appear in his vision. He was going to pass out. He really did not want to pass out. 

Elohim didn’t seemed concerned with Gabriel’s distress, though. “I want you to understand, Gabriel, that I do not hold the same sentimentality that your father does for his offspring. Had something like Alexiel been born of my lineage, something so obviously divergent to what I needed from my heir, I would have drown it after its first breath. Ahnnak are tools for the Isten, to help E’din. A broken tool is worthless.”

Gabriel glared through his silver hair at the Isten, even as his lungs ached for the air the man withheld from him. His ice-blue eyes burned with hate. 

_I’ll kill you if you touch him again_ , Gabriel thought the such intensity, the Isten could probably read the thoughts on his face.

With a frown, Elohim said, “It is not my place to say how another Isten manages his descendants. I respect your father for what he had done for E’din, and for what he has done for me, personally. That may be the only reason I tolerate your disrespect, so as not to deny him his heir.”

Elohim lowered his hand. The pressure in the room returned to normal so rapidly, Gabriel felt sick. His grip on the desk was the only thing that prevented him from falling over as he gasped and coughed. 

“That being said,” continued Elohim, “if you choose to remain blasphemous in my presence, I will gladly suffer a couple centuries of your father’s scorn due to your death.”

Still breathing hard through his nose, Gabriel glared at the Isten. There were a thousand vile oaths he wanted to hurl at the man, but he bit them back. Gabriel lowered his forehead to the desk and growled, “Forgive me, sir.” 

“Forgiven,” Elohim said dismissively. “Now, I’m sure you have questions, and if you can remain respectful, I will answer whatever you ask. Tea?”

“No, thank you, sir,” Gabriel said through clenched teeth.

“Suit yourself. You may begin your inquisition.”

Gabriel’s body ached as he sat up straight. He placed his hands on his thighs. He forced himself to speak slowly, keeping his tone crisp and even. “Why would you agree to serve as his lackey, sir?”

The corner of Elohim’s mouth twitched. “Your choice of words is borderline insolent, Gabriel. Mind your tongue.”

“My apologies, Isten.” Gabriel lowered his gaze and waited.

Elohim decided to continue without exacting any immediate retribution on the boy. “As I said, I owed your father a favor. I do not serve as his ‘lackey’ as you so eloquently put it. He made a request, with guidelines, which I chose to honor.”

“Guidelines, sir?”

“Yes. Expectations for your behavior, as well as motivational suggestions to keep you focused.”

“You mean trying to kill Alex, sir.”

“I have never attempted to kill Alexiel. He was always well within the bounds of recovery.” 

“You nearly drowned him under the waterfall.”

“You were at his side to pull him out.”

“You poisoned him. You broke his bones. You skewered him with rebar!” 

“His tutor prevented any serious damage.” Elohim chuckled. “In fact, that young Ahnnak caused quite a bit of trouble for me. He saved Alexiel from nearly as many accidents as I arranged. I’m almost relieved he has been removed from the academy, though countering him did present a unique challenge.”

“This isn’t a game, sir,” Gabriel snapped sharply. He dug his nails into his knees and forced himself to remain calm. “You dropped Alex off the top level of the academy before he could fly.”

“Ah, now that was an accident, I’m afraid. I may have been a little enthusiastic in the beginning. I was not prepared for how frail the child was.” Elohim raise a hand. “Don’t worry. I received a stern reprimand from your father after that incident. Jequn even called in a favor from Liweth to have an Ahnnak of her line attend the boy. He made a full recovery.”

Gabriel was so angry he could barely think straight. “He was in the hospital for days. He’s in the hospital _now_. You embedded a piece of my energy crystal into that unstable pyromaniac. You nearly killed him again. My grades have been perfect. Why, sir? Why did you hurt him?” 

Elohim raised his chin. “Ah. So that’s how you found out.” He nodded slowly. “Know that was your own doing, Gabriel. Neither Jequn nor I have time to monitor your every moment, so much of your discipline has been based off reports from instructors or administration. Inadequate grades. Behavioral lapses, like fights with other students. Any attempts by you or your brother to run away.”

“Sir, I have never once tried to run away.”

“But Alexiel has. The whole academy was on alert, searching for the boy. I’m sure you will remember that one of the Huntsmen returned him from the western forest, fortunately intact. Discipline was still required.”

_The lightning on the plateau._

“And this time? What did we do this time, _sir_?”

“You, Gabriel. You alone brought this on your brother.” The Isten Elohim leaned forward, expression serious. “I have been as impressed with your grades as the next instructor, even when I set you up to fail by assigning you a partner, but none of it matters when you go out of your way to insult and offend an Isten at a formal event.”

“What?”

“You insolently flaunted some profane affair before Damabiath, and you did not think he would report it to your father?”

Gabriel’s eyes widened. _Sera._ “I didn’t think-”

“No, of course not. You are still very young and very stupid. Jequn is a proud man, respected by all of E’din, and you humiliated him. You are fortunate he did not request further punishment for your actions.” 

A shudder went through Gabriel’s wings. “Yes, sir.”

“I would suggest you cease whatever behavior you displayed before Damabiath. Though I imagine it was your tongue that got you in nearly as much trouble as your activities.”

“Yes, sir,” Gabriel lowered his gaze, feeling miserable. If he drew attention to Sera, she could be hurt or killed, merely on an Isten’s whim. He had no way to protect her. He couldn’t even protect his own brother. “Could I have that tea now, sir?” 

Elohim got up and prepared the loose leaf concoction from a stand in the corner. Gabriel didn’t know how long it took. He just sat there numbly staring at his hands, trying to figure out what he was going to do.

A finely crafted porcelain cup was placed on the desk before Gabriel. It was filled with a deeply fragrant, steaming liquid. “Thank you, sir,” Gabriel said softly. He took it and sipped it, though it was still too hot to enjoy.

The Isten stood over him. “Is there anything else you want to know?”

Gabriel thought for a moment. “The favor.” He placed the cup back on the desk and raised his eyes to Elohim. “What favor could you possible owe Jequn that could justify all this, sir?”

“He saved my life,” stated Elohim, without a hint of embellishment. 

“He did?”

The Isten nodded. “Would you like to see?”

“See?”

“Yes. It’s a way of sharing select memories. A greeting, among immortals. We use it to establish trust, as well as catch up when we may not have time to discuss a few centuries worth of history every time we reconvene.”

“So I can… see your memories? Of my father?”

Elohim inclined his head. “If you wish.”

Did it matter? Would it change anything? Did Gabriel even want to know? 

Despite everything, he was curious. “Yes, sir,” Gabriel replied. “Please show me.” 

The Isten Elohim touched the middle of Gabriel’s forehead, and suddenly, everything turned black.


	36. Elohim: Stars of Autumn, 7206 YA: Descent

A screeching red alarm flashed from the corner of the control console. Elohim sprang over the three empty chairs to smack the button. The lights were off in the ship, as all power was diverted to landing procedure, so he had to operate off the dim glow of the display and his memory of the layout of the interior. Fortunately, after a year with no escape from the confines of void-faring vessel, he was intimately knowledgeable of every cubit of his ship.

“I hear you, precious. We’re almost there. Just hold together a little while longer.” He was alone, talking to the ship, which he knew was a form of void madness, but he had no one else. 

His ten person crew, which should be stationed about the empty chairs, running diagnostics with him, was in stasis. They had been in stasis for the last four months, after the ship began depleting air faster than the filters could recover it. 

Then, the reports started coming back from other Isten, those who had been sent at earlier trajectories and already landed on Ter. They noted the atmospheric difficulties they had on descent, as well as the sickness the colonists succumbed to when exposed to the hostile environment on the new planet. 

Elohim decided that the best thing for his people would be for them to remain in stasis until there was a safe place for them to wake. He could land this ship alone. And if he couldn’t, well… none of them would be awake to worry about it.

There was barely enough space in the control room to open his wings, but when the ship entered the atmosphere, the engines shut down. That was expected. He knew it was going to happen, because the others had warned him it happened to them. He threw himself across the room, using only two sets of wings to propel him, and collided with the manual start up. He popped open the hatch, shoved his hand into the viscous gel preventing the apparatus from overheating, and released a hyper-focused bolt of electricity to restart the engine. 

The ship whirred back to life. That was good, because the planet’s gravity was beginning to kick in. Elohim skidded across the floor and hopped into the pilot’s seat. He took control of the yoke and activated the manual override. “Come on, precious, we’ve got this. Don’t give up on me yet.” 

The ship vibrated like it would fall apart. Elohim heard something ping off the hull. “Too fast, too fast, too fast,” he mumbled as he pulled back on the controls, urging his descent to be a little slower. 

The displays were useless for this. All the equipments had been calibrated for Ahn, and the magnetic field on Ter altered the calculations enough to make them worthless. Once through the initial atmosphere, he would have to open the forward aperture to see. He flipped the overhead switch with one of his wings, unable to take his hands off the yoke or risk losing control of the ship. The motor on the window whirred, and, through the tiny hole that opened, Elohim saw only fire.

“Don’t do this to me, precious. You know I’m sorry I called you a slag heap that first month. I didn’t mean it. We find some nice ground, and I’ll never make you work again. I promise.” He hit the aperture switch again, and the forward window closed and reopened. It made the hole a little wider, about the width of Elohim’s hand across. 

Suddenly, the fire covering the front of the ship was gone, and he had a clear view of where he was heading. Before him was water so blue and placid, it reflected the white clouds above.

Elohim had no time to admire this terrifying and beautiful planet, though, because he was headed straight toward the water. He kicked in starboard thrusters, trying to angle the ship toward visible land, but as he did, wind caught part of the iridium aperture shield. It ripped it off with a loud crack that made Elohim reflexively duck. He could see more now, but unfortunately, he could also see a crack in the window.

“Shit,” he muttered, just before the ship collided with the surface of the water. 

The impact was jarring. Elohim hadn’t secured himself to anything, so he was bounced against the console, then flung back to the far wall of the control room. He had a few stunned heartbeats to watch the cracks spread across the window, and suddenly, the tempered glass fractured. Water rushed into the ship. 

Elohim inhaled deeply before he was submerged in the cold water. He swam against the current, using his wings to keep moving. He pulled them in tight as he pushed through the broken window. Sharp edges still tore at his feathers. The water darkened with his blood, and he hoped it wasn’t toxic. 

He was able to see clearly in the dark water, due to his enhanced vision, which only meant he was able to watch his ship, with all his people and knowledge, sink further away from the surface. He swam after it and grabbed one of the handholds by the aft hatch. The ship dragged him down with it, but he wasn’t willing to give up yet. 

Elohim opened the storage door for the transport chain, which was one of the heavy, metal cables used to lift and move the ship with cranes on Ahn. He wrapped it around his arm several times, ensuring he could hold on. Elohim turned and began swimming back to the surface. He was about halfway there when he reached the end of the cable’s slack, and it jerked him back. 

For a moment, it dragged him back down. Staining against the sinking craft, lungs burning for air, Elohim beat his wings against the pull. He would not give up. He would not arrive on this planet with nothing. He angled toward the shore, hoping that maybe if he could get land beneath his feet, he could gain some traction against water-filled weight of his ship. 

Nearly fifteen minutes later, when Elohim broke the surface and inhaled, he had reached land. He pulled himself out of the water, reminding himself that he needed to take shallow breaths, as there was too much oxygen in the atmosphere of this cursed planet. It was hard to remember, though, after holding his breath for so long. 

With the cable over his shoulder, Elohim slowly trudged further onto land, dragging the heavy ship up behind him. When he got it on the beach, water drained out of the broken window. The whole ship was upside down, but hopefully everything was still secure within. There wasn’t much he could do about it now if it wasn’t. The stasis pods were designed to withstand exposure to the void. Hopefully they were just as sturdy against water.

Elohim lay on the foreign white sands of Ter. He stared up at the alien blue sky. The sun was bright and hot, closer than it should be, but he supposed he would have to get used to it.

Closing his eyes, Elohim breathed in deeply, and began the painful process of adapting to his new life on this planet.


	37. Elohim: Stars of Autumn, 7206 YA: Salvage

After six solar days and two incapacitating seizures, the air on this sun-scorched planet no longer made Elohim sick. He was able to breath without pain, and had quickly adjusted to flying in the denser air. He raided the ships remaining rations for food, as every plant nearby looked strange and toxic. There was so much green. Was everything poisonous?

Something round and armored emerged from the salt water before every sunrise, scavenging the beach with its red-shelled claws. When there were several of the creatures, they fought amongst themselves, but they tended to leave Elohim alone. He watched from atop his broken ship, wondering how much of the native fauna would ignore him. There had been reports, back when he had a working communication board, that stated some of the life on Ter was extremely hostile. These skittering little water rocks could hardly have been what anyone had been referring to. 

On the seventh day, Elohim thought about flying off to locate any of the other colony ships. But he had no coordinates for himself or anyone else. He didn’t know if he would be able to find his way back if he left, so he remained within sight of the ship. He did coast over the tops of the nearby forest, trying to gauge how deep it went, but there was no end in sight to the spread of green across the land. Maybe he would have better luck searching over the ocean. 

Every day, Elohim went out a little further. He woke to watch the red sea creatures feast and fight, then flew back and forth across the sky, searching for anything. Really, anything besides green trees or more blue water. There were a few tall rocks, but nothing that could be useful to triangulate his position. If there was even anyone he could contact to triangulate his position with. 

He returned to his ship at night. Life-support was still active on all ten stasis pods, so as long as there weren’t any more big surprises on this planet, he could wait for help to find him.

Then it rained. Elohim crouched in his broken control room and watched the storm out the shattered window. He couldn’t remember the last time he has seen so much rain. It was relentless. He wondered if the ocean would rise and sweep his ship and him back out to sea. Maybe he would let it. Maybe settling on the ocean floor and letting his lungs fill with water would be an easier fate than surviving this treacherous planet. 

The rain continued for two days. There was lightning, drawn down from the clouds to crack across the sky. It struck the ocean near him once. An unfortunate fish floated to the surface. Something bigger swam by and ate it before it was able to sink. Elohim decided he didn’t need to go back in the water after all. 

After fourteen days of solitude, Elohim began to doubt if anyone else had survived the atmospheric entry at all. Maybe he had hallucinated all the reports sent up from the planet.

“Ha!” he said to the ship. “I may talk to myself, but I still trust my senses. If I were to hallucinate, I would hear something better than Temlakos doing a weather report.” He patted the hull of the ship affectionately. “We’re fine. We’re fine? We’re fine! We’re fine…” 

That night, as the sun set, Elohim lay on top of his loyal ship and stared up at the star-filled void. Even if he had just spent the better part of a year traversing the emptiness, it was hard to believe he had been up there. 

He knew it was impossible, but part of him still wondered if he would ever get the chance to go back home.

Something rustled in the dark trees. Elohim sat up, wings open behind him, fully focused on the forest. The sound was high in the branches above. _Threat_? It was a threat. His instincts were screaming that it was a threat.

Without waiting for the attack to come, Elohim launched several rapid-fire bullets of ice into the tree. Something yelped, then crashed to the forest floor.

“Fuck!” she yelled.

Oh. Maybe not a native creature come to attack him. “Reveal yourself!” Elohim called. 

“You shot me, you ass!” A woman with six wings stumbled out through the underbrush. “You’re lucky you only clipped my leg, or I’d be pissed.”

“Identify yourself, or I’ll shoot you again.” Elohim jumped down and stood protectively in front of his ship.

“Relax,” she said. “We’re on the same side. There’s only one side on this planet, anyway. _Us_. Isten. A few colonists locked in pods, but mostly just us. I’m Utixo. We met last year in orientation, remember?”

“Utixo?” Elohim focused on her, taking in the details of her existence. 

Six wings, pollen stained at the edges. All recent flight taken place near ground. 

Brown hair, with a tight bun on top of her head. Loose hair around the edges. At least two days since it was taken down and restyled. Traveling for a long time, but with companions.

Clothing dirty, with a bloodstain around a tear at the leg. Bullet wound through her dark brown skin. Obvious origin for that. 

Most striking, perhaps, were her eyes, which had been grey on Ahn, but had a red glow now. 

“I remember you,” said Elohim. “Though your eyes were different.”

“It’s the air on this wretched planet.” She kicked a rock and walked closer. “Plutonium is pyrophoric, so between the increased oxygen and humidity, it’s a wonder my whole body doesn’t glow in the dark.” She smiled and laughed. “Though I bet you could shake me up and crack me open like a glow stick.”

_Laughter_. Laughter was nice to hear after the solitude of the void. Elohim relaxed and smiled back at her. “I am Elohim, head elemental and electrical engineer from the Pi’ata Cartel.”

“Nuclear fission from T’emes Subsidiaries, here, but our allegiances don’t really matter anymore, do they? We’re on Ter, now, and it’s just us versus the world. Which, I will inform you, is very enthusiastic about killing us.”

Elohim reminded himself that Utixo was right. Their factions no longer mattered, not here. They hadn’t mattered since the oracles declared the impending destruction of Ahn. When they signed up for this mission, their only loyalties became to their planet.

“Yes, thank you for the reminder. It’s been a while since I spoke to other sentient beings,” said Elohim. “It’s easy to fall back on old customs.”

“Your crew, are they alive?” Utixo looked behind him at the ship.

He still felt strangely protective of it. He didn’t want her moving closer. “Yes. Stasis. Nearly five months. There was an issue with the air filters.”

“You landed this thing alone?” She looked little impressed.

“It is my duty to keep them safe.” Elohim looked to the trees behind her. “Who are you traveling with?”

“What makes you think I’m traveling with anyone?”

“This planet is trying to kill us, yes? Then it makes sense not to journey alone.”

Utixo smiled. “Come meet them. Our camp isn’t far. There’s nothing around here that will damage your ship or people while we’re gone, and in the morning, we’ll send up a signal to get you retrieved.”

“Yes, that sounds great.” Elohim patted his ship and told it, “I’ll be back,” then followed Utixo into the air. She was giving him an amused look as she led the way. “What?” asked Elohim.

“Nothing,” she replied, but was still smiling as she sped ahead.

***

There was fire. An actual fire with burning lumber. No chemical logs or decorative flames. It was a real, authentic, resource destroying fire, and when they got closer, Elohim realized how wonderful the heat felt against the chill night air.

There were three other Isten in the clearing around the blaze. They stood when Elohim and Utixo approached. Valoel, Elohim recognized. They had served on opposite sides of a few wars during the Age of Relics. They had been practically kids at the time, but the urge to confront Valoel was just as strong now as it had been then. 

“You got some venom showing your face around here,” Valoel barked, wings puffed wide in an intimidating posture, but he was grinning. The rivalry between them was familiar, and on this bizarre planet, familiar was achingly welcome.

“You rust-blooded bastard,” Elohim replied, smiling back at him. “Figured I’d land close enough to see your ugly mug.” 

Valoel walked over, clasped Elohim’s extended arm, and pulled him into a hug. “Good to see you less bloodied than usual. We’ll see if we can’t fix that, hm?”

“Anytime you’re looking to lose a few limbs, bring it on.” Strangely, he was really happy to see Valoel. They parted, but remained standing close by.

“Glad to see you already know each other,” said Utixo. “Everyone, this is Elohim. He’s an electrical engineer. Elohim, that’s Chasan, a botanist-” A woman with ropes of teal hair bowed. She was closest to the fire. Her fingers were stained black from the berries she prepared near the flames, “-and Jequn, a geneticist.” A man with dense coils of silver hair, pale skin, and eyes as cold as ice stared at Elohim. He looked pissed. Had they met before? Elohim couldn’t remember, but he must have done something to offend Jequn in the past. 

“Pleasure to meet you,” said Elohim. He bowed slightly.

“Of course you know Valoel, our navigator,” said Utixo, “and then there’s Abbadon, who is…?” She stood on her toes, peering into the trees around them. “Where is Abbadon?”

“Out,” said Chasan. She looped her teal hair behind her ear and smeared berry on her cheek as she did. “He said he was going to secure the area.”

Utixo frowned. “There’s nothing in this region we need to worry about securing anything from.”

“I think he just wanted to follow you when you went to check the crash site.”

“Of course he did.” Utixo rolled her eyes. “Fucking spook.” She turned to Elohim. “Abbadon is security. You probably won’t see him often, but don’t doubt that he’s always watching.” 

“Quite an array of specialties. I take it you all weren’t out here just to find me,” said Elohim.

“We were in the area,” said Chasan while she resumed crushing berries in the metal pot. “Picked up a few broken signals from your distress call, but it took a while to locate you. All our equipment is shot. We’ve resorted to primitive communication for most things, at least until Temlakos can get the infrastructure reestablished.” She raised her eyebrows. “Hey, you’re an engineer, right? I bet you can help with that.”

Elohim nodded. “Of course. We’ll get communications running cleanly in no time.” 

“Good. Good. Come, sit.” Chasan patted one of the logs they had arranged around the fire.

As Elohim took the offered seat, Utixo told the others, “Elohim landed his ship on his own. Crew in stasis. All survived.”

“Really?” said Valoel. He followed Elohim over, sat near him, and offered a drink from his canteen. “That’s impressive.”

The water tasted odd. There were no vitamin supplements added to it. It was smooth and clean, and Elohim had to restrain himself from drinking it all at once.

“It’s not that impressive,” said Jequn, speaking up for the first time. The silver-haired Isten’s voice was as unfriendly as his expression. “We’ve had twenty ships arrive without casualties.”

“And twenty-three more with at least one person dead before impact,” said Utixo. “That’s not even considering the two ships ripped apart by fiends.”

“Fiends?” asked Elohim.

“The array of carnivorous native species,” explained Utixo.

“Some of them are just curious,” said Chasan. She continued mixing berries in a pot close to the flame, keeping a careful watch on the temperature of the contents. 

Jequn snorted. “Yes, they’re curious how our wings taste.”

“So where are all your people?” Elohim asked. “If it’s so dangerous out here, I doubt you brought them into the trees.”

“Our survivors are with Tennin,” explained Valoel. “He’s defending a secured valley to the northeast. You can reach it in a day and a half if you fly at full speed.”

“Most of the people are in stasis, like yours,” said Utixo. "It’s safer. I landed about forty degrees ago.” She quickly added, “The orbit is faster here, so that’d be just shortly after you put your crew in stasis during transit. Which really does seem to be the best option for everyone right now, since the ones who tried waking up couldn’t tolerate the air. We’ve lost nearly a dozen more, not counting those killed on impact.”

“They couldn’t adapt,” Jequn snapped irritably. “Worthless.” He turned and walked into the trees without another words.

Elohim stared after him a moment, then turned to Valoel. “Have I done something to offend him?”

Valoel smirked. He looked amused. “I don’t know. Have you?”

“It’s not personal,” Utixo grumbled. “Jequn doesn’t like anybody.” 

“I bet that’s why he volunteered to be sent to an uninhabited planet,” said Valoel. 

“I heard he didn’t have a choice,” said Chasan. She looked back at them, her eyes wide and innocent. “But that was probably just a rumor. Jam and bread?”

“Yes!” Valoel exclaimed, holding out his hands. “I’m starving.” Chasan scooped some of her hot berry mixture onto a hard, dense biscuit. She placed it in Valoel’s hands, and he immediately bit into it.

“Oh! Hot! Hot!” He huffed and panted, steam coming out of his mouth, but as soon as he swallowed, he took another bite.

Chasan smiled fondly. “Elohim?”

The berries looked suspicious. “I, uh, still have rations on my ship. I’ll pass.”

She shrugged. “Suit yourself. You’re going to have to adapt to the food here eventually.”

“Maybe, but I’m still adjusting to the air. One thing at a time.” 

“I’ll take some,” Utixo chirped. Chasan happily served her a berry-covered biscuit. She also prepared one for herself, and sat down with Utixo to eat.

Elohim stood. “I’ll go let Jequn know there’s food. Maybe see if I can get on his good side.”

“Good luck,” said Valoel. “Been nice knowing you.” Utixo and Chasan giggled as Elohim walked into the trees.

***

At least Jequn was easy to track. His thick coils of silver hair gleamed in the bright light from the planet’s solitary moon. 

“That’s going to take some getting used to,” Elohim said.

“What?” Jequn asked, his tone as rigid and uninterested as his posture. He held his six wings open around him, but his back remained to Elohim and the camp. 

“Only having one moon in the sky.” Elohim examined Jequn as he had the others, but the man was so guarded, he was difficult to read. “I’m going to miss the double solar eclipses.”

“The moon casts a larger shadow here during an eclipse,” said Jequn. “The beasts act as if night has fallen.” 

“Sounds fascinating. Can’t wait to see it.” Elohim walked up beside Jequn. The man was solid and muscular, like he spent a significant amount of time fighting at one point in his life. Elohim didn’t remember him from any battles in his youth, though. Metallic hair like that would have stood out, even among a million Isten. 

But then again, Jequn didn’t look like he had been in a fight in the last millennia. His clothing was neat, even out here. His nails were trimmed and clean. Only the mud visible on his military issue black boots showed any sign of wear.

Cold blue eyes glared over at him. “What do you want?”

“Have we met before?” Elohim asked.

“No.”

“Battle of Feor E’Crai?”

“No.”

“Seidithane?”

“I don’t fight.”

Frowning, Elohim asked, “Well then, how old are you? I had to have seen you around Ahn sometime.” 

“I saw the sundering in my twelve-hundredth year.” Jequn shook out his wings and folded them against his back. “And we would never have met, because I don’t waste my time with petty elementalists.” 

“Petty?” Elohim balked. “What do you mean petty? I was hand selected among all the electrical applicants to participate in this mission.”

“You applied for this?” Jequn sneered at Elohim in disgust. “A petty conjurer and a moron. Great. We’re all going to rot on this forsaken rock.” He turned and started walking back to the camp.

Elohim stared after him, suddenly missing the companionship of his silent ship. “Food is ready!” he shouted at the silver-haired Isten’s departing wings. “You’re welcome!”

“Your first berry will make you shit for a week,” Jequn shouted back. 

Elohim scowled. “What an asshole.”

***

Except for Jequn, everyone was welcoming of Elohim at the campsite. They hung an extra hammock in the trees for him. 

“We don’t sleep touching the ground,” Utixo said as she explained how to anchor the ropes to the trees. “There are tiny insects- thousands of them- and they like crawling between feathers.” She shuddered.

Elohim noticed being close to Utixo made him slightly nauseous. “How radioactive are you?” he asked.

Her glowing, red eyes glanced toward him for a second, then focused back on tying the rope tight. “Right now? Quite a bit. One of the engines on a stationary ship malfunctioned. I depleted the source before it could explode, but I’m charged. That’s why I joined this expedition, so I didn’t accidentally irradiate any of the colonists.”

“Are you dangerous?”

“To you? No. Might feel like you have a sunburn after a couple days, but nothing more. And as to your crew, well, as long as I don’t have direct contact with any of them, they should be unaffected. There.” She gave the ropes a firm tug to show that they were stable. “All done.”

“Thank you, Utixo. What are you all out here searching for, anyway?”

“That’s none of your concern,” Jequn snapped from across the campsite. “Shut up and go to sleep.”

Utixo winked at Elohim and smiled. “Goodnight. We can fill you in in the morning.” 

“Goodnight,” Elohim replied, then climbed up into the hammock and closed his eyes.

***

Halfway through the night, Elohim heard voices. He pulled himself out of his meditative rest and looked toward the direction of the argument. Utixo, Valoel, and Chasan were still sleeping in the other trees, but Jequn was gone. His had to be one of the voices. 

Elohim approached the far side of the camp and peered through the dark trees. He saw two shapes in the distance, both men, arguing with sharp gestures. Their words were unclear, but it was obvious they were both angry. Elohim didn’t think it would be wise to get caught eavesdropping, so he returned to the fire and sat on one of the logs beside the low blaze.

It was very odd to have such a destructive element burning so freely, just for warmth and light. Elohim reached out to the flames with his energy, briefly wondering if the fire here felt different, too, but that was a stupid thought. Fire was a chemical reaction. It cared nothing for planets. 

While he sat, Elohim idly used his energy to twist the flames into the old places he used to live. Palaces with spiral towers. Elaborate manors with vaulted ceilings. The city of his allegiance.

“Been there,” said a rough voice. A man sat beside Elohim. He grabbed the leftover pot of berries from beside the fire, as well as a couple hard biscuits. He used the dense bread to scrape at the remaining jam in the pot and stuffed it in his mouth. There were crumbs still on his lips when he looked at Elohim and said, “Abbadon. Munitions.”

“I, um… Nice to meet you.” Elohim couldn’t help but stare. Abbadon was… Well, he wasn’t a man to challenge in a fight, that was certain. His hair was the deep red of dried blood. His eyes were pink, like someone tried rinsing a bloodstain from a white shirt. He skin was light, with flecks of gold visible across his cheeks. Maybe, in different lighting, he could have been considered pretty. 

Here, in the firelight, Abbadon was terrifying. At first Elohim thought the other Isten was wearing gloves, but then he noticed his hands were merely covered in bloodstains. Stains so common and plentiful, they never fully washed off his light skin. His fingertips were nearly the same dark red as his hair.

“What do you do?” Abbadon asked, but his tone gave Elohim the impression that the man was judging how essential he was. It was as if he had a list in his head, and he needed to know where to place Elohim on it, just in case he had to make the decision of who got to survive.

“Electrical engineering,” said Elohim. “Secondary in elemental physics.” In case that wasn’t enough, he added, “I set up some of the early electrical and communication grids in the Hei’Kadro region, before the first drought.”

Abbadon grunted, and he may or may not have been impressed. He scraped out the burnt remains of the jam in the pot and quickly ate them. “You volunteer for this shit storm?”

“Yes,” Elohim said, though he was feeling more and more like that wasn’t the right answer. The last of the biscuit was gone, so Abbadon began scooping the berry residue off the inside of the pot and sucking it off his fingers. Elohim frowned. “Should you be doing that with blood on your hands?”

“You let me know if I ever don’t have blood on my hands, and I’ll finish it then, hm?” The bloody Isten finished off the last berries in the pot and tossed it back over to the fire. 

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.” 

“I’m not offended. You’re still alive, aren’t you?” Abbadon stood. “If you’re going to be traveling with us, I’m going to warn you to stay away from Jequn.”

“Why?”

“He’s the only one I’m required to return with. Don’t make me choose.” Then Abbadon turned and disappeared back into the woods, leaving Elohim with an unsettled feeling for the rest of the night.


	38. Elohim: Stars of Autumn, 7206 YA: Invitation

Chasan smacked the bulky box again as she hovered high over the forest. “Come on, you stupid box. Work.”

Elohim floated beside her. He alternated the beats of his three sets of wings, keeping himself perfectly still in the air. Chasan was getting frustrated. It showed because she dipped and wavered every once in a while. 

“Here, let me see it.” He held out his hand for the communication box.

“It’s supposed to work,” she said. “I just need to push the button, and it’s supposed to connect and work!” She growled as she shook it, then handed it over to Elohim. 

He smiled at her. “It’s fine. Sometimes these things can be a little sensitive.” He examined the gadget. It was a simple, short range radio. It lost effectiveness past the curvature of the planet. They really had resorted to primitive technology. 

He flipped open the control box, supplied a low charge to the battery, and turned it on. Static crackled over the speaker. Chasan squealed happily.

“You fixed it!” She snatched it back from him with a flutter, then flew higher. “Hello? Come in Tower Eight. Tower Eight, do you hear me? We’ve got coordinates for another crew. Ten survivors. Hello? Tower Eight?”

There was a click and static. Nothing for a few seconds, then, “-at? You’re not holding the button firmly, Chasan. I can’t understand you. Repeat.”

Her middle set of wings gave an annoyed flutter and she pressed the button again, harder this time. “Don’t give me that crap, Rostiello. You heard me. Forward these coordinates to Tennin. Let him know Elohim is with us.” She listed off a string of numbers.

There was a crackle over the speaker, then Rostiello replied, “You’re going to have to repeat that, Chasan. You let go of the button again.” 

The teal-haired Isten swore, pressed down the button, then repeated the coordinates with a growl. 

“Understood,” Rostiello responded. “We’ll have an extraction team sent by tonight. Is the area secure?”

“We’re in a non-hostile sector.”

“What?”

“I SAID WE’RE IN A NON-HOSTILE SECTOR!”

“Yelling doesn’t help, Chasan. Hold down the button.” 

She looked angry enough to throw the transmitter. Elohim held out his hand, offering to take it back from her. Chasan irritably handed it over.

Elohim pressed the button a couple times. He could feel something stuck in the spring mechanism, preventing the circuit’s contact from remaining constant. It was probably just dirt. He blew a puff of air through it, then tried again. Better. 

“Tower Eight?” he said. “This is Elohim.”

“Greetings, Elohim. Welcome to Ter. Is your ship in tact and secure?”

“The hull received some damage during landing, but all ten stasis pods are operational. My companions have informed me the sector is non-hostile.”

“Understood,” said Rostiello. “May the winds be strong at your back.” 

It was an old blessing, one that told Elohim as much about he needed to know about Rostiello. “And may the currents rise beneath your wings,” Elohim replied. The communication box went silent, and he handed it back to Chasan. She was staring at him strangely. “What?”

“You’re a Peacemaker?”

“No. Of course not. I wouldn’t have left Ahn if I believed that old crap. Some of my compatriots were, though, back in Pi’ata.” 

Chasan sighed with relief. “Oh, good. One religious maniac on this planet is enough.” 

“How did someone like him end up running a communications tower? Or on Ter at all?”

“He’s a psychotherapist and behavioral adaption specialist, but as long as the colonists are in stasis, he’s not really useful right now.” Chasan started to fly back down to the others, but then she stopped and turned back to Elohim. “He pissed off Tennin. That’s how he got stationed alone at a communication tower in the middle of nowhere. Tennin put him there.” She coasted back down to camp. 

Elohim made note to remain on Tennin’s good side, then flew after her.

When they landed, Chasan said, “I think Elohim should join us.” 

Utixo looked up from where she sat reading a handwritten note on a pulpy parchment scroll. “He just arrived on Ter, Chasan. Elohim will want to escort his people back to the compound and rest a few days before he starts venturing out.”

“He fixed the transmitter. What if it breaks again?”

“The battery was just drained,” said Elohim.

“See?” exclaimed Chasan. “I had no idea. Just let me focus on discovering new plants and cooking. Let Elohim handle reporting to the towers. Rostiello likes him.”

Utixo raised a brow. “Yeah?” Chasan nodded. Utixo turned her radioactive eyes to Elohim. “You’re welcome to travel with us if you want.”

Jequn approached, his stride swift and heavy. He glared at all of them. “No. He is not traveling with us. Elohim goes back with his ship. I will not be responsible for some maladjusted neophyte.”

Utixo stood to confront Jequn. “No one expects you to be responsible for anyone,” she said. “Void-rations are ultra compact. He can carry a season’s worth of food in a hip harness.”

“And if we’re gone longer?” he demanded.

Utixo held the scroll up in his face. “I have your list, Jequn. I don’t need you here to help track this shit down. You can go back anytime.” 

“The last three resource missions brought back dead samples and a hallucinogenic frog,” Jequn snapped. “I seriously doubt you are any more competent than the rest of them. It stuns me that you’re even capable of reading my lists, let alone transporting sensitive material across the continent.”

“You only came with us to get away from Damabiath,” Utixo shot back at him, wings puffed in irritation. “So don’t lecture me, alchemist. Go back to your lab if you don’t like how I run my expedition.” She turned away from him with a dismissive gesture, the conversation over. 

Jequn snarled at her, then shot into the air with a crack of his wings that made the trees bow away from him. 

Elohim shielded his eyes from the debris kicked up by Jequn’s abrupt departure. When everything settled, he blinked up at the empty sky, then turned to Utixo. “Will he come back?”

“Unfortunately.” Utixo rapidly fluttered her wings, then settled them against her back. 

“Jequn just needs to cool down,” said Chasan. She picked up her cooking pot and placed it with her belongs. “He’ll return.”

“How did someone that short-tempered end up approved for this mission?” Elohim asked. He brushed his hand back through his hair, shaking out dirt and leaves.

Utixo shrugged. Chasan said, “Don’t judge him too harshly. He’s under a lot of pressure right now.”

“Pressure?”

“We’re all under pressure,” said Utixo. “Everyone else manages to act civil. That’s no excuse for him.”

“Maybe, but I wouldn’t want to have the entire future of the colony resting on my ability to identifying the carbon fixation of an edible monocot. No matter how fascinating I find the local flora, I might get a little irritable, too.”

“I know, I know.” Utixo sighed heavily. “But a month in the wilds with that man makes me miss the formalities of old O’axta.”

“Oh, I’d kill for a hot bath and a formal banquet,” Chasan agreed. The two women shared a look of longing for the simple luxuries of old Ahn. Even Elohim felt the pang of desire for something which had once seemed so tedious and mundane. He realized adjusting to life on this wild planet was going to mean a lot more than just learning how to breath the air and eat the food. 

“Elohim and I are going to wait at his ship for the extraction team,” Utixo finally said, returning their focus to their present situation.

“I should gather more berries for dinner,” said Chasan. “Will you be joining us, Elohim?”

“I’m going to stick to rations, while I have them,” he said. 

Chasan smiled. “I hope you stay with us, even if you can’t eat the native food yet.”

“I’ll think about it,” he said, then flew with Utixo to wait for his ship’s extraction.

***

“It’s fortunate we were able to retrieve you so quickly,” said the Isten Tagas. “You’re very lucky.”

Elohim watched the six Isten lift his broken ship into the purple twilight. They flew in unison, rising to a safe altitude over the trees. “I don’t feel very lucky,” Elohim said. He was nervous about leaving his ship unattended. He couldn’t ever remember being this attached to an inanimate object. 

“A water landing like that?” huffed Tagas. “Trust me, you’re lucky. We still haven’t located the last arrival. Chaitaan crashed in the mountains of the northern wilds, but we can’t locate any trace of his landing site. There’s been no contact from him or his crew. I fear he may be lost.”

“I’m sure he’ll show up eventually,” Elohim muttered. He looked at Tagas. “You’ll keep the ship safe, right? My records on there are essential. I want everything left untouched until I arrive.”

Tagas grinned. “Trust me. Your ship and your crew are in the best of hands. We’ll see you in E’din, Elohim.”

“E’din?”

“Tennin’s stronghold.” Tagas patted Elohim’s shoulder. “Welcome to Ter.” He flew after the others, taking his place among them to ease the heavy load.

Elohim stood on the empty beach with Utixo until his ship was out of sight. The sun set fully, filling the sky with stars.

“You could still catch up with them,” Utixo said after a while.

“No.” Elohim looked at her. “I didn’t come here to coddle my people. They’ll be fine.” His ship, too.

“Let’s head back.” She smiled kindly at him, the red glow of her eyes oddly reassuring. They returned to the campsite together.

Everyone was there, including Abbadon, though he was asleep in the hammock Jequn used last night. Valoel stood when they landed. “You stayed?”

Elohim shrugged. “Can’t let you have all the fun, can I?”

Valoel grinned. “I’ve got our route planned for tomorrow. We’ll be entering the mountain mists.”

“What, exactly, are we searching for?” asked Elohim.

“Compatibility,” replied Jequn. “Convergent evolution within a reasonable degree of manipulation.” He sat on the other side of the fire, picking at a dry biscuit. He still looked angry. Maybe he never looked any other way. 

“Compatibility for what?”

“You’re too dumb to understand.”

Elohim bristled. “Do you think I’m dumb, or do you just lack the ability to explain subjects outside your expertise?”

The look Jequn gave him could have frozen the flames between them. The silver-haired Isten stood and tossed the rest of his biscuit into the fire. “I’m going for a walk. If anyone dares to follow me, I’ll-” 

Jequn continued speaking, but his words were nothing more than static. The memory jumped and glitched several times, repeating the same gesture before jumping ahead, to a moment further in the night.

“He didn’t mean it,” said Utixo.

Elohim was unsettled. “He certainly sounded like he meant it.”

Chasan handed him some of the hot water they all drank. It was local, boiled to kill any bacteria, but otherwise pure. “Just give Jequn some space.” She sat beside him on the log. “Maybe don’t look him in the eye for a few days.”

Valoel sipped some of his water. “Eh, Jequn will forget all about it if we’re successful on our hunt tomorrow.”

“You think it’s likely?” asked Utixo.

“I saw tracks.”

Utixo nodded. “Good. It would be great if we could be done with this before winter.”

“We’re searching for a creature?” Elohim asked. “Why?” The look the others shared wasn’t reassuring. 

Abbadon jumped out of the hammock and landed with a hard beat of his wings. “There have been complications since we landed on Ter,” he said. “More than we’ve reported to Ahn or the incoming ships.”

“You’ve been withholding information from the assembly?” asked Elohim, looking between them to confirm. No one would meet his eye, except Abbadon. 

“There is little they can do about it,” said the bloodstained Isten. “Nothing they can send that could ease our struggles. Our binds are with Ahn, but we are far from home.”

Elohim’s brow furrowed. “You mean our souls,” he muttered, feeling a growing sense of dread.

“Ahn’s people are stuck in stasis, in more ways than one,” Abbadon said. He strode over to the fire, warming his dark red hands before the flames. “Their souls are not bound to this planet, and in all attempts, reproduction has produced unfortunate results.”

“Miscarrages, all of them,” mumbled Chasan, staring into her cup. 

“At the rate we’re going, our people will be dead, and we will be fifty-six Isten, waiting in hell, slowly being pick off, one-by-one, until we’re all dead from our failed mission.” Abbadon’s pink eyes focused on Elohim. “Unless we are able to bind our people to this world.” 

“How?” Elohim breathed, feeling his heart pounding in his chest. 

“Until the other scientists land safely, our only hope is that ill-tempered alchemist.” 

There was a sharp screech from the woods, the sound of some creature Elohim didn’t recognize, but it was undoubtedly in pain. 

“What was that?” he asked, tense, ready to escape if he needed to.

Abbadon stared at the fire, a dark look on his face. “This a cruel world, Elohim. There will always be sacrifices.” He turned and walked into the woods without another word.


	39. Elohim: Stars of Autumn, 7206 YA: Contact

The next day, they traveled by flying low over the green trees. They dropped down often to check for tracks in the undergrowth. Elohim took their advice. He avoided Jequn. The silver-haired Isten seemed to prefer being on his own anyway.

Instead, Elohim flew with Chasan most the day. She was chatty, especially when it came to the plants around them. That was good. Elohim was still adjusting to the colors of this place. He learned that most of the greenery was safe to touch, though only Chasan was familiar enough with the plants to choose what they could eat. 

They camped again that night, high the mist-covered mountains. The air was damp and cold, but they didn’t start a fire. They slept early, hanging from the high trees on the rocky hills. 

Before dawn, Elohim woke to a presence beside him. Jequn was there, perched in the tree, blue eyes fixated on something far below. Elohim followed the silver-haired Isten’s gaze, and was startled by what he saw. Before he could say anything, Jequn’s hand covered his mouth. 

Elohim could read the man’s hard expression well enough. He remained silent. 

On the ground, among the green bushes and vines, were over a dozen furry black creatures. They moved about slowly, eating the plants around them. Their hind legs were bowed, so they hunched forward, walking on the knuckles of their hands. 

Elohim realized it was a family group. He saw an infant feeding from the breast of a mother. Another clung to its mother’s back as she moved across the clearing. Adolescents played under the watchful eye of the young adults. 

Then there was a large male. He sat on a high point, scratching his chest while he chewed. The pack leader, perhaps. Fascinating.

When Jequn was certain Elohim wouldn’t make any noise, he pulled his hand back. Jequn spread his upper wings and glided to a lower branch. He didn’t takes his eyes off the quiet beasts in the mist. 

A low frequency voice from high above asked, “How many?” Elohim couldn’t be certain, but it sounded like Abbadon. The beasts below seemed unable to hear the resonate tones used for long range flight speech.

“Fifteen,” Jequn replied in the same tone. The creatures didn’t react. They definitely didn’t hear them.

“Will they work?” asked Abbadon.

Jequn watched an adolescent, a young male, get too close to the pack leader. The big male grunted and bared his teeth, chasing the little one away. Then he tilted his head back, opened his mouth to reveal impressively sharp teeth, and let our a call that echoed off the nearby mountains. Elohim nearly flipped out of his hammock, it was so loud. 

Jequn frowned. “Too aggressive.” He flew back up to Elohim and jerked one side of the hammock free from the tree. Elohim snapped open his wings to catch himself just in time. 

“We’re going,” said Jequn. He dropped the rope and flew up out of the trees.

Elohim scowled and untied the other half of his hammock. He followed Jequn into the sky, and found the others already there. 

“What was wrong with these?” demanded Utixo.

“The teeth,” Jequn replied. 

“ _Teeth_???” Utixo repeated, incredulous.

Jequn glared at her. “Unless you want subjects who can rip you apart, their teeth are an issue.”

Abbadon swooped in. “Do we take one?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Their teeth,” Utixo snapped. “I’m beginning to think you don’t really know what you’re looking for, Jequn.”

“Fine,” he replied. “You go down there and grab one.”

“Fine. I will.” Utixo flew back into the trees. Elohim looked at the others. Were they really just going to let her go?

There was another deafening roar, and in an instant, Utixo shot back above the trees. Her glowing eyes were wide. “Teeth. Yeah,” she said, breathing hard. “I suppose we can always come back, if we need to. Send the coordinates to Rostiello?”

That last part was directed at Elohim, and even though he wasn’t entirely sure what was going on, he flew up to the altitude required to make the call and checked in. 

“Tower Eight? Come in, Tower Eight.”

“This is Tower Eight, Rostiello speaking. Fair weather, Elohim. Glad you stayed with the expedition.”

“Yes. Thought I’d stick around and be useful. We’ve got coordinates of a group of, um… well, I’m not honestly sure what they are, but we’re checking in.”

“You found them!” Rostiello’s excitement came through the speaker with a loud pop. “Sorry. Are they acceptable? How many are you returning with?”

“None, actually.”

“Hailstones and smog-” The speaker went silent for a moment, presumably as Rostiello released the talk button to continue the curse alone. When he came back on, he sounded calmer. “What was it this time?”

“Teeth,” said Elohim.

“Teeth. Of course. Coordinates and description?” Elohim supplied the information to Rostiello. “Understood. ‘Teeth in the Cloud Forest.’ I’ll add it to the list, right under ‘Didn’t Have Eyebrows in the River Basin.’ Wind at your back, Elohim. Good luck.”

“Currents beneath your wings, Rostiello. And thanks.” He turned off the communications box and returned to the others. 

Chasan greeted him. “Any problems?” 

“No. How many times has this happened?”

“This is the fourth. Was Rostiello mad?”

“I think he’s bored. Anger alleviates boredom.” 

Nodding, Chasan said, “Sounds about right. He only has to be stationed at the tower when there are teams past the range of tower seven, so he gets to fly back with us when we’re done. I’m sure he’s looking forward to that as much as we are.”

“But these are the creatures Jequn is looking for?”

“Varieties of pithecus, yes. Different types live in different regions.” She stretched her neck, looking to were Jequn and Valoel were arguing. “Where to now?” Chasan called. 

“That’s everything in the forests,” said Valoel. “I haven’t seen any other markings for species variety. We’re going to have to go to the savanna.”

Utixo rubbed her eyes. “We’re going to have to sleep on the ground…”

“I’d rather not sleep,” said Valoel. 

Chasan nodded. “I’ll be dead before I sleep on the ground again.”

“If we’re going to the grasslands,” said Abbadon, “sleeping in the trees won’t help. The pard and fiends will attack you just as quickly as the insects.”

“I’d rather face the fiends,” said Chasan. “At least they won’t bite the skin under your feathers.” 

Utixo placed her hands on her hips. “Alright. From here on out, we’re operating in nightly, dual-guard shifts. Alternating rounds.” Before Jequn could argue with her, she added, “Yes, that includes you, alchemist. In fact, you get first shift with Valoel tonight.” 

Jequn’s jaw snapped shut. He didn’t look happy about the guard assignment, but he didn’t object.

Utixo turned toward Valoel, though she kept her eyes on Jequn, as if she still expected him to argue. “I think we’re done here. Let’s hit the stratosphere before noon.”

“Agreed,” Valoel said. “We’ll keep it under Mach One, but let’s have a tight formation.” With that, he started south, and everyone fell into position in his wake.

***

That night, they found a small copse of trees to rest near. This land, with its endless brown grasses, reminded Elohim of Ahn after the storm season. But unlike Ahn, the beasts of the land weren’t huddled in burrows to avoid the flesh ripping dust storms. They loped and grazed across the plains, completely uninterested in the strange visitors walking among them.

“They don’t fear us,” Elohim said, standing beyond the edge of the firelight with Abbadon. They had been selected to attend the middle shift of watch together, though Elohim had no doubt Abbadon had it under control.

“They’ll learn,” said Abbadon. He looked down the sight of a long-range elemental rifle. It was a simple model, which he could disassemble and store in the harness on his right thigh when it wasn’t in use. He could also assemble it in a heartbeat, which made Elohim realize the Isten beside him had had a lot of combat experience. 

“Who did you fight for?” Elohim asked.

“Classified,” said Abbadon. 

“Are you old enough to have fought in the Relic Wars? Maybe a battle I know?”

“Classified,” Abbadon said again. 

“Well, what’s your specialty?”

Abbadon looked over at him with those eerie, washed-out, blood-stained eyes. “Silencing people who ask too many questions.” 

Elohim smiled at him. “You must be a lot of fun at parties.” 

Abbadon huffed and scanned the horizon through the magnifying scope of the rifle. “I used to throw killer parties,” he muttered. He straightened and held out the rifle to Elohim. “You proficient?”

Elohim took the cold metal barrel from him. “Been a few years, but I’m not a bad shot.” He raised the stock to his shoulder and looked through the sight. It had infrared capabilities, which turned the horizon green. 

“See the baobab at a league west?” 

Elohim focused his double vision on the distant target, seeing it clearly even without the rifle scope, though he still used that to aim. “Uh huh.”

“Shoot the fruit hanging on the southern side.” 

Elohim smirked. He charged the loader with a coil of steady energy and aimed carefully. When he pulled the trigger, he converted the raw energy to electricity, which shot across the savanna with a crack. The lightning bullet hit a branch on the tree, then dispersed into the wood.

“Almost,” Elohim sighed. He handed the rifle back to Abbadon. “I’m better at close combat.”

Abbadon swept his hand over the rifle stock, discharging any energy Elohim left within. Then he reloaded it, looked down the sight, and _pop-pop-pop_ , three rapid-fire, force-energy bullets shot from the rifle. Three baobab fruit dropped from the distant tree, their stems severed. 

Elohim whistled low, impressed. “Sniper, huh?”

“Munitions expert and quartermaster.” Abbadon unloaded the energy from his rifle again. “I was brought on to provide security for the colony, but at the rate we’re going, I’m not going to have a colony to protect.”

“Is it okay that you’re out here, wandering through the wilderness, away from your people?”

“I don’t have people. My ship… well, what was left of it wasn’t capable of supporting stasis pods. None of my crew survived the first night.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

“Me, too,” Abbadon said, leaning his rifle against his shoulder. “It’s been over a year, but I still feel like I let them down.”

“A year? You went out in the first launch window?”

Nodding, Abbadon said, “They told us there would be risks to this mission, but I never expected it to be like this. Watching my crew die, one by one, was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. If we can’t find a way to replace our people, to bind them to this planet, we’re going to lose everything.” 

“And that short-tempered ass knows how to do it?”

Abbadon snorted, nearly smiling. “Until the other scientists arrive, he’s our expert. Jequn may be many things, but he is not an idiot. I trust his judgment. I will do anything I can to help him, even if that means participating in his experiments. I will not allow my crew’s sacrifice to be meaningless.”

“Wait, seriously?” Elohim stared at the bloodstained man. “You would let him experiment on you?”

“This isn’t just about me. It’s not even about Ahn anymore. It’s survival. We need our people, and they need our knowledge. We’ve already lost too much.”

“But Ahn can send more-”

“No. They can’t. They won’t.” Abbadon scratched the side of his face with his dark red finger. “Sixty. Thirty in the first window, thirty in the second. Until the compatibility issue is solved, they won’t risk sending more. We’re on our own, and we need descendants in this world who can inherit our knowledge.”

Elohim exhaled slowly, staring up at the stars. “Immortals bound to the new world, as our ancestors did with us…”

“Except they had time for it to happen naturally. We don’t. Our worlds cannot wait that long.” 

“No,” Elohim muttered, “I suppose they can’t.

They stood together for a bit beneath the dark expanse of stars, then Abbadon opened his white wings and said, “I’m going to patrol the boundary. Stay here. Keep watch on the baobab. Let me know if they get any closer.” Without waiting for a response, Abbadon disappeared into the darkness.

“‘They?’” Elohim looked back toward the tree. Movement caught his attention. He adjusted his vision to differentiate between the shadows and the night sky. Black, long limbed, jittery creatures suddenly came into focus beneath the tree. There were several of them, and they moved with twitching jerks. They picked up the fallen baobab fruit with long claws and examined them with a curious intensity.

“Oh. _Them_.” Elohim crouched low, keeping a close eye on the strange creatures through the rest of his watch. By morning, they had disappeared back beyond the horizon, but Elohim had the uneasy feeling that that wouldn’t be the last they saw of them.


	40. Elohim: Stars of Autumn, 7206 YA: Guarded

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Snow day! No escape from the house, so I've been able to focus on editing and formatting the next few chapters. Here we go!!!))

The passage of the solar days fell into a steady routine. At dawn, the Isten would eat, pack up camp, and take to the air. Valoel led through the day, flying low until they found sign of tracks or spoor to investigate. They would search the area until a new heading was determined, then continue on. Even when they landed, Abbadon remained at a distance, always alert for any danger on the horizon. Some days, he was only seen by the glint of his scope on a distant hill. 

As dusk approached, they set up camp again and ate whatever fruit Chasan scavenged through the day. Elohim had packed enough cubed void-rations to avoid needing to eat Ter cooking for a few months, though sometimes the strange food did smell tempting. Being incapacitated while his body adjusted wasn’t something he wanted to deal with out here in the wilds, though.

At night, they started their shifts on guard. A couple nights passed before the rotation paired Elohim with Jequn. He wasn’t sure what to say to the silver-haired man, and Jequn seemed content to stand on the ridge and watch the dark, sprawling plains in silence. 

Elohim stood beside him, but after a year in the void, including four months of complete solitude, it was difficult to be so close to another person and remain silent for long. 

“So… you come here often?” It was a joke, and probably not the best way to start a conversation with Jequn. 

The man clenched his jaw, but didn’t respond. He scanned the horizon diligently.

However, Elohim had never been one to back down from a challenge. “What I mean is, uh, you don’t seem like you belong out here in the wilds of Ter. Abbadon, Utixo, Valoel, Chasan, they all have skills to survive, but you’re just-” Elohim realized there was no way he could end that sentence that wouldn’t come off as offensive.

“I’m just what?” Jequn’s cold eyes turned toward him. 

“Y-You- Well, you’re a scientist. Abbadon says the only one we’ve got right now, so… Wouldn’t it be safer to keep you near Tennin’s base?”

“If you think I am anywhere near helpless, you are stupider than you look,” Jequn retorted sharply.

“I’m not trying to pick a fight with you-”

“Then you should shut up.”

For a few minutes, Elohim complied. He listened to the wind glide across the plains. He focused on the rhythmic chirping of the insects in the tall grasses around them. The stars really were beautiful.

But then it all started to sound like the empty whir of the failing air filters and the beep of alarms. The black void pressed down on him, endless and suffocating. Elohim couldn’t stand it.

“I just don’t understand why you would risk leaving E’din,” he blurted. “Are you running from Damabiath?”

“Oh, for fucks sake.” Jequn’s wings snapped open angrily. In the dark, Elohim could see the crackle of static race beneath Jequn’s white feathers, making them glow like a cascade of stars. “Were you brain damaged when you crashed?” demanded the silver-haired Isten. 

“I don’t know, maybe. It was a rough landing.”

Jequn growled with frustration and walked away. His wings opened to slow his descent as he slid down the ridge. He stiffly marched across the open plains.

Elohim glanced back toward the glow of camp, then followed Jequn into the dark. “Wait. I don’t understand what I did to make you angry.”

“Stay away from me,” Jequn snapped.

“We’re on guard together.”

“You don’t get it, do you?”

“I’m trying to understand.” Elohim gave himself a burst of speed with his wings to catch up to Jequn, then fell in step at his side. “Abbadon told me how dire the situation is. I know you’re stressed, and I want to help-”

“You can’t help,” Jequn snapped. “You’re an _elementalist_.”

He said the designation with such disdain, Elohim’s feathers bristled. “I’ll have you know I am the top elementalist in my syndicate, if not on all of Ahn. I set up the electrical and communication grids in the Hei’Kadro region before the first drought. ”

Jequn snorted. “Any Isten who claims elementalist as their skill isn’t worth the iron in their blood. And Hei’Kadro burned down twice. That’s nothing to be proud about.”

Irritated, Elohim grabbed Jequn’s arm and turned him to face him. “Oh, and what makes you so special, huh, _alchemist_? I bet you’re just another lab tech nobody who volunteered to come to Ter so you could pretend to be important.”

Jequn jerked away from Elohim. His blue eyes narrowed. “You know nothing about me.”

“Tell me the truth, Jequn. Did you come out here to hide from Damabiath, or did they ask you to leave E’din because you’re so fucking unpleasant?”

“Shut up,” Jequn hissed. His eyes shifted, looking over Elohim’s shoulder. 

“Or what? Are you going to-”

“I said, ‘Shut up.’” Before Elohim could react, Jequn grabbed him and threw him to the ground. Elohim landed on his back and wings in the tall grass. Then the silver-haired Isten was on top of him, pinning him to the dirt.

“Get off me!” Elohim shouted. He started to struggle and fight back, but then Jequn’s voice pulsed through him. 

“ _Calm_ ,” the silver-haired Isten commanded. “ _Calm. Quiet_.” 

Waves of calm sedation filled Elohim. He relaxed in the dirt, blinking up at Jequn and the sparkling stars above him. The grass swayed around them, rhythmic and soothing. “Wha…?”

Jequn sank lower, wings pulled in tight to hide beneath the tall grass. His blue eyes locked on Elohim as he urged, “ _Hush_.” 

Elohim couldn’t speak if he wanted to. He lay in the dirt, completely silent, breathing in the intoxicating scent of the man above him. He felt like he was back underwater, being pulled down into the abyss with his ship. He tried to fight it, to rise to the surface again, but then Jequn’s fingers touched his lips. “ _Calm.”_

Elohim obeyed.

Without any further resistance from Elohim, Jequn turned his attention to the savanna. Beyond them, emerging from the darkness, were the tall, black, jittering creatures who had appeared beneath the baobab tree during their first night on the plains. The ground vibrated with each step of their long, stilt-like legs. They came closer.

Jequn curled around Elohim, shielding them both with his large white wings. He closed his eyes and focused, creating an aura of indifference around them. His lips moved slightly while he focused, like he was reciting an incantation.

The creatures approached, meandering across the plains. Elohim could see them in glimpses between Jequn’s feathers. Glowing eyes. Sharp teeth. Leathery black skin. Their necks clicked as they twisted their heads back and forth, scanning the area.

They were something Elohim would have found terrifying, but laying in the dirt as they strode by, Elohim was only able to vaguely acknowledge that fear. He was completely calm, even as one of the stilt-like legs passed between Jequn’s wings and impaled the ground beside Elohim’s ear.

They smelled like carrion and blood. Two curved talons, like a scythe blade, grew from the end of the creature’s leg. It scraped the rock with its claws as it twitched and spasmed over them, then continued on.

Jequn remained over Elohim for several minutes, until all the creatures passed. Then he folded his wings and sat on the ground. He looked exhausted. 

Elohim felt his senses return to him. He sat up and shook rock and dirt from his feathers. The delayed reaction, including the fear of being so close to those creatures, nearly overwhelmed him. “What the fuck?!”

“Shh, don’t draw them back, you idiot,” Jequn said. He reached out and touched Elohim’s wrist. A little of that calm feeling came back, enough that Elohim could breathe normally.

“What were those things? You-” Elohim blinked, staring at Jequn as he made sense of what just happened. “You protected me.”

Jequn scowled. “Don’t read into it too much. Those were fiends. They’ve been following us for days.” 

“Fiends.” Elohim remembered their eyes. There was a gleam of intelligence in that glow, as well as curiosity and hunger. “Those are what fiends are like? Why did we hide? Why didn’t we fight them?” 

“Because I don’t fight,” said Jequn. “And I am not going to be blamed for your death. There are as many types of fiends and beasts on Ter as there were creatures in the old days of Ahn. Their abilities are unpredictable, and the only thing we know about those ones specifically is that Abbadon doesn’t think they’re friendly. I am not interested in discovering how right he is.”

“When they came, what did you do to me?” asked Elohim. He turned his hand over, so Jequn’s fingers rested against the inside of his wrist, over his pulse.

“It’s nothing,” said the silver-haired Isten. For as unfriendly as he was, he didn’t seem bothered by the continued contact between them. “It’s a emotionally responsive chemical pheromone interference. Opens creatures and people up to suggestion. Doesn’t work on adolescents or those guarding against it, but it’s highly effective on beasts, fiends, and simple-minded idiots, like you.” 

“You hypnotized me.”

“It’s nothing so crass.” Jequn started to pull away, but the possibility of having that overwhelming fear return to him made Elohim grab Jequn’s hand. 

“Don’t,” he said. “Not yet.”

Jequn scowled. “The effect will wear off in a few days. You’ll be fine.” 

_“Please_.” 

“Fine,” Jequn growled. “But only until we get back to camp. You can have your panic attack back with Chasan and Valoel.”

“Thank you,” Elohim said, relieved. 

They sat together for a few minutes, quietly watching the horizon where the fiends had gone. The silence didn’t feel as oppressive as it had before, and Elohim wondered how much of that had to do with Jequn’s touch. 

“I’m not running from Damabiath,” Jequn said after a while, not looking at Elohim. “He’s an annoyance, nothing more, but… He’s addicted. He uses every excuse he has to bother me, because this-” he squeezed Elohim’s hand, “-helps him calm down. He is not cut out for the solitude of life on Ter, and until his people are functional, he alone is tasked with the responsibility of cultivating a reliable food source for E’din.”

“Are you, um… involved with him?”

Jequn glared at Elohim. “He’s not my type. And before you ask, neither are you. In fact, no one on this planet is worth my time. I was merely sympathetic to Damabiath at first, but I misjudged his resolve. I won’t make that mistake again.”

“You’re not as heartless as you want people to believe,” observed Elohim. 

“Next time, I let the fiends eat you.” 

Elohim smiled. “So why not send Damabiath to someone else?”

“He needed a scientist to alter the genome of some seeds, and since I’m the only one who survived…” Jequn shrugged. “I’ve edited nearly forty species of grain for that man, yet he still needs more. I can’t get any other work done in E’din, and I won’t go back until his fixation has waned. That, or I’ve found what I need.”

“And what do you need?”

“I’ll know it when I see it.” Jequn stood, pulling Elohim up with him. “Come on. We need to report in with Abbadon before the next shift starts.” 

Elohim shook out his wings again, dislodging more dirt from his feathers. “Thank you for saving me.”

“Don’t mention it.” Jequn fluttered his six wings, then folded them against his back. “Seriously. I don’t want to hear a word from you for the next week. Don’t touch me. Don’t look at me. Nothing. I will not deal with another addict.”

Elohim grinned. “We’re friends now, aren’t we?”

Jequn rolled his eyes. “Worthless. You’re absolutely worthless.” He started walking back to camp, still holding Elohim’s hand. “Could have been another scientist scheduled to land, but no, we had to have an elementalist on this sun-scorched, isolated, hellscape…” He continued cursing Elohim’s existence all the way back to camp, but he never let go of his hand. 

Elohim smiled. Yes, they were definitely friends.


	41. Elohim: Stars of Autumn, 7206 YA: Death

For the next few days, Elohim felt a strange longing to fly at Jequn’s side. The silver-haired Isten went back to ignoring him, and Valoel ran interference any time Elohim seemed like he was going to go talk to Jequn. 

“Hey, come look at this cool rock,” Valoel exclaimed, dragging Elohim away when they landed one evening. Elohim begrudgingly followed, though he wanted to ask Jequn if he needed help putting up his hammock in the small copse of trees.

“Neat,” Elohim grumbled. He tossed the rock into the air and caught it. It was pure gold. The ground was littered with similar stones.

“How much do you think this is worth on Ahn?” asked Valoel, popping up in Elohim’s vision when he looked back toward camp.

“Does it matter?” asked Elohim. He dropped the rock. “It’s not like we can ship anything back.”

Valoel touched his shoulder, meeting his eyes. “Humor me.” Elohim sighed, then walked through the rocks with Valoel, pointing to each and giving a guess for how much the raw ore would have sold for on Ahn. 

It was a pointless exercise, but by the time they were done, camp was set up. They returned and had dinner before starting their shifts on guard. Utixo skipped the guard rotation that would have placed Elohim with Jequn.

Gradually, the days and nights passed, and the desire to be near Jequn lessened. Elohim realized how foolish he’d been acting, and he felt even worse because no one mentioned it. That night, when they landed, Valoel pulled Elohim aside again, pointing at the trees in the distance. “Isn’t that amazing?” he said. “It’s only one plant, but the roots rise up and branch out, creating a whole forest.”

“Why didn’t you warn me about him?” asked Elohim.

Valoel exhaled heavily. “I didn’t think it would be an issue. Jequn usually doesn’t use any of his abilities, and I figured you would avoid getting close to him, because he’s such an asshole.”

“He’s not an-” Elohim stopped himself. Was he saying that because it was true or because of the effect Jequn’s ability had on him? “You still should have told me. I could have been prepared. Guarded against it.”

Valoel shook his head. “You can’t guard against it, especially if he’s touching you. It’s his scent. He can alter it to exploit emotional weaknesses. The more angry or scared you are, the more power he has over you.”

“He manipulates people,” Elohim said, feeling that anger rise within him. “He uses it on other Isten?”

“The effects are temporary, and Abbadon already scolded him for what he did to you. Besides, the ability seems to be more inconvenient for Jequn than for anyone else.”

“Inconvenient for-” Elohim clenched his fists. “I feel like I’ve been lovesick for days over some jerk I can barely stand to be on the same planet with. It’s like I’ve been poisoned.” Elohim’s wings shook with indignation. “On Ahn, I would be well within my rights to demand a duel, to fight him to the death for this slight.”

Valoel winced. “Elohim, we’re not on Ahn anymore. The rules aren’t the same here. You don’t want to fight Jequn.”

“Yes, I do. I’ll-”

“No, you don’t. Jequn isn’t allowed to fight.”

“Not allowed?”

“Tennin’s orders,” said Valoel. “And if Abbadon thinks there’s any risk of something happening, he’ll intercede. He’s been tasked with returning the alchemist to E’din alive. The rest of us aren’t nearly as essential.”

Elohim scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. “So there’s nothing I can do.”

“Avoid Jequn, and you’ll be fine. We’ll all be fine.” Valoel patted Elohim’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it too much. No one blames you for what happened.”

“It’s humiliating,” Elohim muttered. 

“It’s not your fault. In fact, you’re handling it far better than Utixo did.”

Elohim’s eyebrows raised. “He did this to Utixo?”

“You ever wonder why they argue so much?”

“Huh.” That actually made a lot of sense. Elohim unfolded his arms. He felt a little better. “What happened between them?”

“Jequn had to have her permission to join the expedition, and about a week after we got out here, she returned to her senses. She was so mad, but it was too late. He refused to go back.”

“He is an asshole,” Elohim decided.

“Yes, he is,” said Valoel. “So just keep your distance from him. And if you ever need to talk, I’m here for you.” 

“Thanks, Valoel.” Elohim placed a hand on his shoulder. “But you’re insanely boring. I’d rather talk to the rocks and trees.”

Valoel laughed. “You bastard. Serves me right for trying to help you.” They grinned at each other a moment before Valoel said, “Let’s go back to camp and see if they’ve made any sense of what we discovered today.” Elohim agreed, and they flew back together.

***

Back at camp, the fire was burning, everything was set up, and Chasan was out gathering berries and fruit for dinner. Uxito and Jequn crouched over their artifacts for the day, arguing about whether a chipped piece of flint could be considered a primitive knife or if it was just a shiny rock some magpie was drawn to. Abbadon stood beside them, rubbing his temple like the argument was giving him a headache.

“Valoel, what do you think?” Utixo asked.

“I think we’re going to investigate the area further,” replied Valoel, “whether it’s a tool or not. Something stacked these things on top of a rock.”

“But it didn’t leave footprints,” Utixo said.

“The ground is dry and rocky,” said Jequn. “If the creature was light enough, it wouldn’t have left marks.”

“So we’re looking for micro pithecus now?” Utixo demanded. “How will that help us?”

Jequn sneered at her. “Not micro, you simple-minded-” He stood. “Never mind. How could I ever expect you to understand?”

“How could you- Ugh!” Utixo stood and stomped her foot. “You make me so angry I could punch you in the nose!”

“I dare you,” Jequn snarled.

“Knock it off,” said Abbadon, cutting in between them. He looked at Jequn. Elohim noticed that even when Abbadon held his hand between them, he never actually touched the silver-haired man. “Go cool off.” 

“The only person who needs to cool off is _her_ ,” said Jequn. “I know I’m right.”

“We will discuss it after dinner,” said Abbadon with stern tone that brooked no arguments. 

“There is nothing to discuss,” Jequn replied and picked up the crude flint tool. “You’ll see.” Jequn glared at Abbadon, but the bloodstained Isten just stared blankly back at him, too tired to pretend to care. He hadn’t been sleeping much since the second sighting of the fiends. Maybe it was starting to catch up with him. 

“We’ll investigate either way,” said Valoel, trying to be helpful. “I’ve got tomorrow’s heading. We’re going east. There-”

A scream cut through the stillness of the wilds. The abruptness with which it ended made Elohim’s blood run cold. 

“Chasan,” gasped Valoel.

“The forest,” said Utixo. “She went to the forest to search for food.”

“Stay here,” Abbadon commanded and shot into the air. No one obeyed. They all flew after him without hesitation, but before any of them neared the forest, an explosion of energy shook the world. The proceeding shock wave bowed the trees away from a central point in the forest, and they all knew, without a doubt, that Chasan was dead.

***

The trees surrounding the mangled body of the Isten Chasan were gnarled and twisted. Blood soaked the dirt beneath her white wings, staining her feathers. 

“Oh, Chasan,” Utixo cried, covering her mouth with her hands. Abbadon stood guard as Valoel stepped in to check for a pulse, but they all knew it was too late. They had felt her soul shatter. Very little of it would linger here on this alien planet. The pieces of her soul would rise up to rejoin the flow of life on Ahn, safe and away from the cruelty of this world. That she was free of this place was the only blessing in her death.

Elohim stood beside the body, but the memory distorted. Blurred, cubic segments disguised her remains, hiding everything but the white wings radiating out from her body.

_Wait._

“She’s dead,” said Valoel. “They _chhzzt_ -” He continued speaking, but there was no sound with his words. Pops of static filled the memory. 

Utixo responded, motioning to the body, but everything was silent. There was so much blood.

_No. I can’t see._

Bits of conversation broke through.

“-disected-”

“Still alive when-”

The memory hiccuped, and suddenly everyone was standing in new places. 

_How did she die???_

“What do we do?” asked Utixo.

“We keep going,” said Jequn.

“Chasan is dead!” Utixo exclaimed. “You expect us to remain here? Those fiends ripped open _chhzzt_ -”

“Those fiends ripped _chhzzt_ -”

“-fiends ripped _chhzzt_ -”

“-fiends _chhzzt_ -”

_Show me what happened!_

The memory went black.


	42. Elohim: Stars of Autumn, 7206 YA: Battle

They held the funeral on the forest floor at sunrise. Chasan’s remains burned in a pyre with the purest flame Elohim could produce. The white fire consumed her body, until she was nothing but ash carried away by the winds. 

Valoel held a feather from Chasan’s wing against his lips, his eyes closed as he grieved her. The loss hit him the hardest, as he had grown close to Chasan during their excursion into the wilds of Ter. Too close, perhaps, since death was the only guarantee this planet could offer. 

Elohim wondered if any of this was worth it.

“We need to go,” said Abbadon. “We can make it back to E’din before sunset if we leave now.”

“We can’t leave yet,” insisted Jequn.

“Rostiello knows our coordinates,” said Utixo. “We’ll come back with reinforcements.”

“They’re nomadic. We’re going to lose them again.” Jequn’s anger felt misplaced here. Who cared about the fiends or beasts of this world? Did any of them really want their descendants to be linked to this terrible planet anyway?

“I want to stay,” said Valoel, opening his eyes. “I want revenge.”

Abbadon clenched his jaw. “No. No fighting. No vengeance. We’re not staying. We can’t risk losing anyone else.”

“You should have been watching her,” snapped Valoel. “But instead, you only ever cared about the alchemist.”

“We all have our orders,” Abbadon reminded him sharply. “I will not let anyone else die.”

“If you want to haul him back, fine. Be my guest. I am not leaving here until every last one of those fiends are dead.”

“That’s suicide,” said Utixo. “You saw what they did to her-”

“I don’t care.” Valoel removed a handle from his belt and charged it with energy. A blue energy blade formed, sharp enough to cut through nearly anything. “The fiends of this world don’t fear us, but I’m going to give them a reason to start.” 

The group was divided. Half wanted to stay, half wanted to go, and Elohim wasn’t sure which side he should take. He looked around at the decimated trees while the Isten argued behind him. The rising sun was still low on the horizon. The shadows it cast in the forest were long and ominous. 

The lingering sense of foreboding intensified. Elohim adjusted his eyes, focusing so he could see the shapes hidden in the shadows of the remaining trees. What he identified made his wings thrust open with a warning vibration.

“We might not have a choice about fighting,” Elohim called over his shoulder, not taking his eyes off the fiends creeping closer.

“Everyone into the air,” commanded Abbadon. “Get back to camp. Now!” This time, everyone obeyed. As they rose up over the forest, Abbadon stopped Elohim. His pale pink eyes betrayed the anger the bloodstained man struggled to hide. “Burn it all, elementalist. Scorch the ground where they killed her. Let it serve as a monument to her death.” 

Elohim channeled the heat of the rising sun into his fist. “With pleasure.”

As Abbadon flew after the others, Elohim faced the forest. Fiends swarmed the ashen dirt where they had cremated Chasan’s body and turned their fanged maws up to the sky. Their screeches were inaudible under the roar of the firestorm Elohim summoned overhead. He felt no pity as he released his power, and rained fire and brimstone down on Ter. The blaze caught and spread through the forest. 

Nothing escaped death.

***

The forest was obliterated. The fire would smolder for days, burning the roots deep underground. It would be years before anything would grow there again. 

Elohim rejoined the other Isten as they finished packing camp. Utixo tossed him his bag as he landed. “We’re leaving,” she said.

“Where to?” He affixed the bag to his hip and thigh. 

“E’din.” She stretched her wings, ready to go.

“We are not returning to E’din,” Jequn stated. “We’re too close to give up now.”

“It’s not your choice,” snapped Utixo. “Chasan is dead. We will not remain out here waiting for whatever else attacks us in the dark.”

“Coward,” he hissed.

“How dare you-”

“Stop fighting,” said Abbadon as he loaded his rifle. “This isn’t over.”

Utixo paused, her glowing eyes shifting toward him. “What do you mean?”

Abbadon pointed to Valoel, and they all turned to look at the Isten pathfinder. Valoel’s wings were open, curved around him like a satellite dish, amplifying the distant sounds of the savanna. His feathers twitched. 

“They’re talking,” said Valoel. “I can hear them.”

“Talking?! No. They’re dead,” said Elohim. “Nothing survived my fire.

“There are more.” Valoel lowered his wings and looked back at them. “The earth is hollow beneath these plains. Caves. Tunnels. Caverns. They’re filled with fiends.”

“All the more reason to leave,” said Utixo. She held Chasan’s bag and her own, ready to go.

Valoel shook his head. “They’re not going to let us.” As he said it, the ground trembled all throughout the plains. 

“We just fly,” insisted Utixo.

“I’m not leaving.” Valoel removed the handles from his belt and charged them with energy. The ultra-sharp blades glowed at his sides. He looked as he had long ago, when Elohim faced him in battle on Ahn. “The fiends have declared war, and I, for one, plan to give it to them.”

Then, like a flood of black water, the creatures erupted from the bowels of the world. They rose up, spilling into the sky as they unfurled their long, stilt-like forelimbs, revealing the taut skin that stretched between the joints. Black wings unfurled and the fiends darkened the sky. 

“They have wings,” gasped Utixo. She dropped the bags.

Jequn turned to Abbadon, appearing more annoyed about the situation than anything. “Am I allowed to fight now?”

The bloodstained Isten raised his rifle toward the oncoming fiends. “If you die, I’m going to find a way to get back to Ahn so I can track down every piece of your soul and kill you again myself.” He fired off six shots, and six creatures fell dead from the sky.

There was a small smile on Jequn’s lips as he gathered the silver coils of his hair back. He used a stiletto of ice to pin it in place. “Stay out of my way,” Jequn warned Elohim as he strode passed. He joined Valoel at the front of the camp, facing the fiends of the land.

Utixo scowled and tapped her knuckles together. The red glow of radiation surrounded her fists. “I really hate this planet,” she said, joining Jequn and Valoel. Then the fiends descended on them, and the battle began.

***

Long ago, when they had faced each other on opposite sides of the Relic Wars, Elohim had seen Valoel fight. The blade-wielding Isten’s style hadn’t changed much in the millennia since. He dove into the swarm of fiends with a calculated precision, focusing on each creature’s weaknesses. Joints. Limbs. _Their wings_.

Any creature with only a single set of wings might as well be dead when they lose the ability to fly. And for all the strength it took the fiends to lift their massive bodies into the air, their wings were surprisingly fragile. A single cut to the thin membrane holding them aloft, and they plummeted. 

Valoel focused on incapacitating as many as he could in the air, because the only thing these fiends had going for them were their overwhelming numbers. They continued to pour out of the caverns beneath the plains, even as the battle raged. 

Utixo flew low and fast across the ground, her touch irradiating the fallen fiends. Their bodies seized with convulsions. The black skin blistered and burned. Her ability was dangerous, but it relied on being close to the creatures, and their teeth were very sharp. The wide jaws of a fiend lunged at her neck, but a shot from Abbadon’s rifle decapitated it before it could damage her. 

Abbadon reloaded. He could only get six shots from the energy stored in the rifle clip, but he didn’t waste a single one. Each time he pulled the trigger, one of the fiends died. When one of them veered past everyone to reach him, he tossed the rifle into the air, grabbed the fiend with both hands, and ripped its head off. He caught the rifle and continued shooting as if it hadn’t interrupted him. Abbadon may have had a preference for ranged combat, but it had always been clear that he could hold his own in any situation.

But of all the Isten fighting, it was Jequn that surprised Elohim most. His assumptions about the man had led him to believe Jequn lived a sedentary existence across the ages of Ahn. He was supposed to be an intellectual, someone only fit for laboratory work, perhaps with some hyper-focused skill that could shield him.

That was absolutely not what Jequn was.

He entered the battle with a crack of his wings, plunging into the fiends without any apparent regard for his own safety. They tore at him, but their attacks glanced off his skin without more than a few superficial scratches. The wounds glittered in the morning light, and Elohim realized Jequn’s body was shielded by layer of ice. 

The silver-haired Isten grabbed a fiend by the neck. A surge of electricity paralyzed it before Jequn slammed his forehead against its skull, crushing its brain and killing it instantly. He had barely released its corpse before he lashed out at the next with a whip of fire, severing its wings and cauterizing the wounds instantly.

 _He’s a fucking elementalist_ , Elohim mused, impressed despite how condescendingly Jequn had spoken of the ability. Jequn was powerful, enough that Elohim wondered how he had never heard of him before. 

But as he watched, he realized Jequn was more than that, too. The silver-haired man fought with a manic gleam in his eyes, reveling in the bloodshed. The more fiends that attacked him, the stronger and more reckless his fighting style became. When Abbadon shot and killed a fiend that had nearly closed on Jequn’s wings, the silver-haired Isten turned, eyes wild with rage. He looked as if he might attack Abbadon for daring to interfere in his fight. 

That was when Elohim realized why Jequn hadn’t fought before now. 

Jequn was a berserker. 

The blood frenzy which drove him in battle cared little who who he hurt. He wouldn’t stop until everything was dead at his hand. 

Another fiend attacked Jequn, diverting his attention from Abbadon’s interference back to the battle against the swarm. He resumed his relentless assault on the fiends.

Of course, Elohim wasn’t about to be upstaged by any of them. He focused his energy up through the creatures, reaching for the open sky above the swarm. Condensing the energy in the air far above him, Elohim summoned clouds of ice, which he condensed and compiled until their weight was more than he could bear. Then, with merciless precision, he released his power and let the fist sized hailstones rain down on the battle. 

In an instant, the storm dropped fiends all across the savanna. Their bones shattered beneath the relentless ice. It only lasted a few seconds, but the ground in the storm’s radius was blackened with their broken bodies. The five Isten remained in pockets untouched by the storm, but the fiends around them were quick to regroup. 

The incoming fiends, thousands still emerging from the ground, altered their course and funneled directly toward Elohim. He launched a volley of lightning bolts at them, but he was surprised to find he didn’t have complete control over the electricity. It fizzled out and missed the majority of the creatures. 

Elohim realized that he might have underestimated how much energy summoning the storm would drain, especially because he was still adjusting to the atmosphere on this planet. It had drained him. The eagerness of the rain to obey his will was far different from the drought-ridden atmosphere on Ahn.

Though, he couldn’t fault Ter alone for his mistake. He might have been too eager to show off his powers, perhaps because he was trying to impress a certain other Isten. Whatever the case, he knew he was in trouble. He couldn’t face that many fiends without a reserve of energy to draw on.

“Elohim, get to the cliffs!” Valoel shouted. “They aren’t strong enough to fly in the updrafts. Get to open sky!” 

“Everyone go!” said Abbadon. “There’s too many of them to keep fighting like this!”

As much as Elohim hated running from the battle, he knew they were right. He also knew he wasn’t any use to them like this. He jumped into the air and flew by Utixo and Valoel. The ground ahead dropped away drastically after the cliff edge, the land below barely visible in the morning mists. The winds rising up the cliff face were strong, acting like a barrier the fiends wouldn’t cross.

Still, many of the fiends followed with a single-minded determination across the savanna. One landed on Elohim’s back, the curved hooks latching onto Elohim’s middle set of wings while its teeth ripped out mouthfuls of feathers from his upper set. Elohim couldn’t shake it off, and they crashed into the rocky ground. He rolled, separating from the fiend, but it climbed back to its feet first. It sprang across the ground on those long, stilt-like limbs, sharp teeth poised to bite more than just a few feathers. 

Then Jequn slammed down onto the creature’s back. He snapped its spine in half before he stomped on its head. 

“Thanks,” Elohim said, breathing hard, but Jequn just glared angrily at him. Elohim got to his feet and resumed his flight to the cliffs, though a little slower. Even if he wasn’t happy about it, Jequn fell into in a defensive position at his side. They had nearly reached the cliff edge when a scream made them both land and look back.

Utixo was caught in the midst of a black votex of fiends. They ripped and tore at her, moving fast enough that she couldn’t stop one before five more took its place.

At the same moment, Valoel was knocked from the sky by a crush of fiends. They pounded into him when he hit the ground, and it gave way beneath him, plunging him into the black caves under the savanna. More fiends spilled out of the hole, even as some chased down after him. 

Abbadon smashed in the face of a fiend with the end of his rifle, then surveyed the chaos of the battle. He swore and called across the savanna, “Jequn, you have to survive! Get out of here!”

Jequn disemboweled an attacking fiend with a makeshift blade of ice, then embedded it in another’s head. “I won’t run,” he called back. 

“For E’din!” Abbadon shouted. “For Ahn!” He aimed his rifle, sighting it into the vortex of fiends surrounding Utixo. 

Jequn clenched his fists. “Shit.” He turned and grabbed the front of Elohim’s shirt, then ran toward the edge of the cliff. He pulled Elohim against his chest, but this time there was no sense of calm or peace surrounding the man. There was desperation to escape, and escape fast. 

They leaped over the edge of the cliff, but instead of flying, Jequn folded his wings around Elohim and together, they dropped. There wasn’t enough time to question the man’s actions before a single shot from Abbadon’s rifle echoed across the savanna. It tore through the fiends in the black-winged vortex, but they weren’t his intended target. The energy hit Utixo and pierced through her chest, destabilizing the core of her power. 

The world flashed white. All sound ceased. Utixo’s unstable energy exploded in a nuclear blast that obliterated everything around her.

The initial shockwave hit Jequn and Elohim in the air. It knocked them apart. Elohim toppled and twisted, too disoriented to right himself. The sound of the explosion arrived with a near deafening roar, quickly followed by a secondary wave of debris and radiation. There was nothing Elohim could do to defend against the onslaught. His feathers curled and his skin blistered. 

As he fell to Ter once again, Elohim had a moment to be grateful that at least he wouldn’t drown this time. Then he collided with the surface of the planet and everything went dark.


	43. Elohim: Stars of Autumn, 7206 YA: Discovery

Elohim woke to the sound of rain. He lay on the stone and dirt floor of a cave. Everything hurt. He processed the pain, noting where the damage to his body was before he compartmentalized and ignored it.

Broken leg, with several compound fractures up to his right hip. Two broken wings, left side, center and lower. Significant internal bruising, including a pierced lung. 

But he was already healing. His leg and wings were set with splints of ice. The entry wound that pierced his lung had been cauterized. 

Slowly, Elohim sat up and looked to the entrance of the cave. Jequn stood there, staring out at the gray clouds and rain outside. He appeared quiet and serene, as if they hadn’t just survived a nuclear blast at near point-blank range.

“How long was I out?” Elohim asked. His throat was dry. It hurt to speak.

“Two days,” said Jequn. He didn’t turn around.

“You saved me. Again.” 

Jequn’s wings twitched, but remained folded in a pristine white cloak down his back. He was so formal, even here. So different from what he was was, unleashed on a battlefield. “There’s fallout in the rain,” said Jequn. “The weather patterns shifted after the explosion and it won’t stop.”

“Are… Did anyone else survive?”

“I haven’t felt anyone else die.” Jequn turned to face him. “Abbadon will care for Utixo. He’ll return her to E’din to heal before he comes back for me.”

“He shot her.” Elohim frowned. “He tried to kill her.”

“If he meant to kill her, she would be dead.” Jequn looked back out to the rain. “He only destabilized her. He did what he had to, for Ahn. We all do.” 

“And Valoel?” 

“He’s a survivalist,” Jequn responded. “A simple explosion won’t kill someone like him. You, however…”

“I’m still adjusting to this planet,” Elohim said defensively. “The atmosphere- and I’ve had nothing but void rations for a year!”

“They’re gone, by the way. Your pack was destroyed in the blast.”

Elohim touched his thigh, even though he could see it wasn’t there. “It’s… It’s fine. I’ll be fine.”

Jequn scoffed. “I didn’t carry you here and set your bones to let you starve to death.” He turned from the rain and walked to Elohim’s side. “I’ll find fruit in the area. You’ll stay here until you adapt.” 

Elohim adjusted to look up at Jequn. “I thought you said I was worthless. Why take care of me?”

“We’re friends,” Jequn stated, and the words sent a small thrill through Elohim. _Friends_. Did he really mean it? “Besides, you didn’t tell me you were a storm elementalist. _That’s_ different.” Jequn grabbed Elohim’s arm and pulled him to his feet. He stayed at his side until Elohim could balance on his one good leg.

Wincing, Elohim held onto Jequn’s arm. He looked into those cold blue eyes, unable to read any of Jequn’s guarded emotions. “You’re an elementalist, too. Why do you act like it’s a worthless ability? I saw you fight. You’re powerful.”

“Power is nothing without control.” Jequn helped Elohim limp to the entrance of the cave. “If you spend your immortality doing only what you were born good at, how does that make you any better than the beasts and fiends of this world?”

“But the way you fight-”

“I don’t fight. It’s a compulsion. A weakness. If I fall far enough, I don’t care who I hurt or if I survive. None of us did.”

The savage battles of the berserkers were nothing but rumor and legend by the time Elohim was born. Ancient Ahn stories, lauding the greatness of the Ista and the Old Ones. If he hadn’t witnessed Jequn’s skill in battle, he probably wouldn’t have believed it was possible any of them really existed. Or had survived the eons. 

“What happened to the others like you?” Elohim asked.

“What usually happens to weapons forged to break in war. They broke. They couldn’t adapt.” Jequn and Elohim stopped at the edge of the rain, looking out into the grey, silent world. Jequn stared at the endless drizzle and whispered, “Worthless.”

“But you’re not worthless,” said Elohim, facing the silver-haired Isten. 

A brief smile passed over Jequn’s lips. “Neither are you, storm bringer. Stop the rain.”

Elohim nodded. He took a shaky step away from Jequn. He opened his four unbroken wings to help keep his balance. Arms spread, he turned his face up toward the grey sky and gathered the energy from the clouds, shifting it and shaping it to his will. The winds were harder to control, but he could give them a nudge to alter the breeze and clear the sky.

It took nearly an hour. Jequn remained at his side the whole time. When the sun shone through the dissipating clouds, Elohim lowered his arms. “There, I’m-” He collapsed, drained of the energy to stand. Jequn caught him and lifted him effortlessly. 

“You’ve done well. Rest. I’m going to find food. You need your strength.” 

Elohim groaned and covered his eyes as Jequn laid him back on the flat stone cave floor. “This planet’s food is going to kill me,” he complained, but he felt so weak, he would have eaten anything at that point.

“I’ll keep you alive,” Jequn said. “I may still need you.” He adjusted Elohim’s broken wings so the splints were arranged most efficiently, then he walked toward the entrance of the cave. “I’ll return soon.” 

Then Jequn left, and Elohim had no doubt that Jequn was a man of his word, and would do exactly as he promised.

***

For the next four days, Elohim ate whatever food Jequn brought him. He was miserable. The berries turned his stomach inside out, no matter how small the portions were. 

But by the end of the fourth day, he had adapted. On the fifth day, he kept the meal down. His strength was returning to him. His broken leg was strong enough to walk on. His wings could be moved without pain. There was still some difficulty using them to fly, but he could make do with the one full set that was still functional.

Jequn wasn’t one to sit around and wait while Elohim’s body adjusted. He journeyed out every morning and came back before sunset. Sometimes he talked with Elohim, though he didn’t like sharing personal details about himself. Elohim tried anyway.

“How did you end up as a scientist?” he asked early one morning before Jequn went out for the day. 

“I picked up a book,” Jequn replied. He held a flame in his hand, which he was using to roast a few baobab seeds on his palm.

“You just… studied?” 

“Anything can be learned with enough time.”

“But why genetics? It’s so complex. With your innate skills, wouldn’t it have been easier to get involved with the military or something? Like Tennin?”

Jequn gave him one of those annoyed looks that Elohim had come to recognize meant he had offended the man somehow. “Do you think I’m an idiot?”

“No, of course not,” said Elohim. “You wouldn’t have been sent to Ter if you were.” 

“And yet, here you are. Eat the seeds.” Jequn tossed him one of the hot seeds from his palm. Elohim caught it and popped it into his mouth. It was crunchy, but quickly turned to a paste he could swallow.

“Huh. Not bad,” said Elohim. “Maybe it won’t make me sic- urp!” He covered his mouth and scrambled out of the cave to vomit in the bushes.

By the time he staggered back inside, he didn’t feel like doing anything but sleeping. He slumped against the wall, his wings spread against the stone, absorbing the coolness of the rock. Jequn held out another baobab seed for him. 

“I don’t want it,” said Elohim.

“I’m not asking.”

Elohim groaned and took the roasted seed. He held it in his hand. “So, your ability to hypnotize people- Something you’ve always had or something you learned?”

“It’s not-” Jequn stopped and grit his teeth. “It’s not hypnotism. It’s a adjustment of the emotional response of others based on shifts in pheromones.”

“Whatever it is, are you manipulating me right now? Can you make me eat this seed?”

“I can shove it down your throat, if that’s what you want.” 

“I’m serious, Jequn. How much control do you have over me?”

“None. Since I brought you to this cave, I’ve been careful.” 

“I don’t believe that,” said Elohim. “Before we found Chasan dead, I was furious with what you’d done to me. I wanted to kill you. And now…”

“Now?” 

Elohim shrugged. He didn’t really know how he felt toward the silver-haired man. “You saved my life. I’m in your debt.”

Jequn huffed. “You’re right. You owe me. But that has nothing to do with my abilities. I’ve kept my guard up. I don’t need another infatuated fool seeking my favor like an addict. You would only get in my way.”

“You said you needed me.”

“I need you sane and focused, storm bringer. I am not ready to return to E’din yet. I will find these creatures before Abbadon tracks me down.”

“Then you haven’t used your power on me?”

“Any affection you feel lingers from your memories of my touch. Nothing more.” Jequn closed his hand around the seeds in his palm, extinguishing the fire. “Eat the seed.”

Elohim was still skeptical, but this time he didn’t argue. He chewed and swallowed the baobab seed. Somehow, he even managed to keep it down long enough for it to dissolve in his stomach acid. His gut cramped, his body responding to it like a poison, but his system would be able to absorb the nutrients and adapt.

Groaning, Elohim lay on the cave floor and clutched his belly. “I hate this planet,” he grumbled.

“It is not for Ter that we endure. We exist for Ahn,” said Jequn. He placed the rest of the seeds on a smooth stone nearby. “Eat the others. I’ll return before dark.” He left the cave, and though it took Elohim the rest of the day, he managed to eat the remainder of the seeds.

***

On the fifth day, Jequn returned with an excited flurry of wings. “I’ve found them,” he announced upon his arrival. “We leave now.”

“It’s nearly night,” said Elohim. “We have no stealth in the moonlight.”

“Summon clouds.”

“It isn’t that easy.” 

Jequn marched over, grabbed the front of Elohim’s shirt and jerked him close. “I will not ask again.”

Elohim held his hands out. “You haven’t asked at all.”

Jequn grit his teeth and growled, “Please.”

Smiling at the little victory, Elohim said, “I’ll see what I can do. Did you bring me anything to eat?”

“I better not lose them because of you.” Jequn released Elohim and dropped a pouch of berries into his hand. “We won’t be back. Take whatever you have.” He left the cave. 

Elohim looked around and shrugged. He had nothing to take, except what he wore. He untied the pouch and snacked on the berries while he followed Jequn out of the cave. The moon was full, illuminating the land around them. It was all still too quiet. Many of the beasts had not survived the radioactive rain. 

“Can you fly?” asked Jequn.

“Should be fine. Don’t expect any stunts, but I can keep up with you.” He felt a little queasy from the berries, but nowhere near as bad as he felt over the past few days. He finished off the rest of them and tied the empty pouch to his belt. “We just need coverage for flight, right?”

“Whatever you can give us,” said Jequn. “Our heading is south-by-southeast.”

Elohim nodded and stretched his upper wings, testing the weight distribution for flying with only one set. It would be exhausting, but manageable. He flew into the sky, stopping at the point where the air currents shifted. In the bright moonlight, he could see all around them. To the northwest, the devastation of Utixo’s explosion was evident. It was nothing but a crater in the hills, a desolate wasteland of destruction. 

“Do you think Abbadon knew the damage he would cause?” Elohim asked Jequn when the silver-haired Isten flew up with him. 

“He knew,” Jequn replied, his voice devoid of emotion. “Let’s go.”

Elohim focused. Extended coverage was difficult, even at full power, so he limited himself. A fine mist coalesced around them, impenetrable to the moonlight. They could still make out shapes on the ground far below, but they would be in no danger of being spotted by any of the planet’s native, violent species. 

Jequn led the way. Elohim followed, guiding the mist on their journey. They flew through most of the night, until Elohim couldn’t maintain the conjuration any longer. 

“I need to rest,” he called to Jequn. 

“We’re close,” the other Isten replied irritably. 

“I’m landing,” Elohim stated, and flew down to a hill. The mist lingered in the air over them, but the sunrise would come soon, and it would quickly be burned off with the day’s heat. Elohim put his hands on his knees and breathed hard while he let his wings rest. 

Jequn landed heavily beside him. “Seriously?”

“I am healing still, Jequn. Barely able to eat. Let me rest a moment.”

“Fine,” Jequn growled through clenched teeth. “I’ll give you an hour.”

“It’ll be safer to fly during the day anyway,” said Elohim. He took a seat beside a large rock, feeling drained. 

Jequn sat beside him, though he still didn’t look happy about it. “Rest. I’ll keep watch.”

Elohim leaned his head on Jequn’s shoulder and closed his eyes. Having the other Isten close was oddly comforting. Elohim tried not to think about the possible reasons behind that, whether he was being manipulated, or if it was something else. He relaxed, and quickly let himself fall asleep beside Jequn.

***

Elohim woke in the dirt. He brushed it from his face and hair as he sat up, blinking against the bright morning sun as he looked for Jequn. He didn’t see the silver-haired Isten anywhere.

Using the long range flight tones, he called the Isten’s name.

“Jequn!”

“ _Shut up!_ ” came the immediate reply. Jequn wasn’t far. Elohim followed the direction he heard the reply come from, and as he walked across the valley below the hill, he spotted the Isten’s silver hair on the other side of a small copse of trees. 

“Stay back,” came Jequn’s command, transmitted in the same tone, even though Elohim was close enough to speak to him.

Then Elohim saw them.

Jequn crouched low on the plains, his hand outstretched. He was watching the two small forms hiding among the bushes at the base of the trees. Wide, dark eyes stared back at him, but the creatures didn’t come out. 

“It’s okay,” Jequn said, speaking softly. “I won’t hurt you.” That aura of calm surrounded him once more. Elohim stayed out of it, not wanting to fall victim to the Isten’s exploitations again. 

However, it didn’t seem to be having any effect on the creatures hiding in the trees. “It isn’t working,” Elohim said in the low tone, below the creature’s range of hearing.

“I know,” Jequn whispered, his words nearly giddy. “Isn’t it fascinating?” He looked elated. 

“That’s a good thing?” Elohim asked.

“ _They’re children_ ,” said Jequn. “Pure. Innocent. Unaffected by my power.” He smiled. “I see so much potential in them.”

Elohim wasn’t completely convinced, but as he stood there and watched, the taller of the two creatures came out of the trees. A light fur covered his thin frame, but he was definitely male. A young girl nervously followed after him, and they approached Jequn, walking upright on their hind legs. It was startling how similar the creatures’ anatomy appeared to their own, if a little fuzzier.

The boy reached where Jequn crouched in the grass and cautiously took the berries from his outstretched hand. The Isten’s wings gave an excited shiver at the touch of the creatures they had scoured Ter in search of. 

“Perfect,” Jequn murmured, gazing affectionately at the children. “Do you see it? The hope of E’din lies in their blood.” He slowly reached up, and the boy didn’t shy away as Jequn gently stroked his cheek. “ _Absolutely perfect._ We will bring nobility to this world through them. They are our saviors.”

The devotion with which Jequn spoke erased any further doubts Elohim may have had. He trusted Jequn. This man and those creatures were the only hope Ahn had, and Elohim would do anything to protect and support Jequn.

_For Ahn_.


	44. Gabriel: 1st Degree of Saviors, 596 DE

The tea was still hot when Gabriel blinked and found himself in his own body again. The weight of the Isten’s memories was disorienting, and he struggled to adhere to his own mind. He clung to himself, terrified of everything he had seen, especially how casually the immortals wielded their impossible powers. How could he ever think to oppose them?

“You are a difficult child,” said Elohim. There was a touch of fondness in his voice.

Gabriel raised his eyes to meet the Isten’s intense gaze. “Sir?” The word was barely a whisper. He had seen through those eyes. He knew there was nothing he could hide from the Isten.

“Your curiosity pulled you through my memories. You took more than I wanted to share.” Elohim chuckled. “You are just like your father.”

The rage and power Jequn had displayed, unleashed, chilled Gabriel to his core. “You’re in love with him.” 

“Love,” Elohim scoffed. He sat down on the other side of the desk and adjusted his six wings with a rustling of his feathers. “What a superficial emotion. I maintain distance from your father because of the unintentional effect he has on me, but it is not love. He has too much pride to love anything other than himself and Ahn, and I have too much pride to pander to his temper. The future of Ahn is the only thing that matters. My initial attachment to him was greatly influenced by my extended solitude in the void. I would have bonded with a sentient slug at the time.”

“But you still obey him, sir.”

Elohim shook his head. “I owe him a debt. In fact, most of us on Ter do. He was right, after all. The plainswalkers were compatible.” Elohim smiled wistfully at a memory Gabriel was glad he couldn’t see. “Jequn and I lived with the tribe through winter. By the time Utixo, Valoel, and Abbadon tracked us down, we had developed a rudimentary system of communication with the creatures. They were very clever. Quick to adapt, too. Especially the children.”

Gabriel blinked. “Wait, Utixo really survived?”

“Of course she did,” Elohim said with a laugh. “Though she was furious with Abbadon for centuries. It took nearly that long for her to extract the radiation from the area.”

“And… And what about Chasan?”

Elohim’s amusement faded. A tense smile remained on his lips. “I would have kept her death from you. Your curiosity followed her.”

“How did she die, sir?”

“The knowledge of how to kill an Isten is forbidden.” There was a warning glint in his eyes. “It would be wise of you to not ask again.”

Gabriel’s brow furrowed as he lowered his gaze. “Yes, sir, but… You can alter your memories. Was any of it real?”

“You dare question my honor?” asked the Isten with a wave of power that made Gabriel tremble. 

“No, sir. Forgive me.” The silver-haired boy kept his head down. 

Elohim’s energy gradually eased. “We cannot falsify a shared memory. Obscure, perhaps. Misdirect, in some cases. But never lie. Though I would not have had to do so if you had not been so willfully inquisitive. It is no wonder your father has resorted to such methods to control you. You have potential, Gabriel, but you are misguided.”

Gabriel dug his fingernails into his knees. “Sir, I don’t want you to hurt my brother anymore.”

“Then you should focus on remaining obedient and devoted to your Isten.”

“Please,” Gabriel begged. He raised his eyes, feeling young and vulnerable before the ageless being. “I have to protect Alex. He’s just a child. I’ll do anything.”

“We were all children once,” Elohim said thoughtfully. “Still, it matters not. It is your father to whom I owe a debt, and it is his request I honor.”

“Then let me take my brother’s place,” Gabriel said before he was fully aware of the words. Fear thrummed through his chest, but he didn’t back down. “Whatever has to be done, let me take the punishment. Leave Alex out of it.”

Elohim appraised Gabriel with eyes that were far too observant. “Are you asking me to lie to a fellow Isten?”

“He doesn’t have to know,” said Gabriel. “I swear I won’t tell anyone.”

After a bit of consideration, Elohim said, “There is little benefit for me in heeding your request.” 

“I will be in your debt,” Gabriel promised. “The heir of the man who saved your life, bound to you as you are to him.” 

Elohim smirked. “Ah, that self-sacrifice is very unlike your father. Perhaps there is more of your mother in you than I thought.” 

“Sir?”

The Isten rose from his seat. “I think, Gabriel, had you been my heir, you would have been something to be proud of.” He walked around the desk and stopped before the silver-haired boy. “I will consider your wishes going forward. Should there come a time it inconveniences me, I will revert to the agreement I hold with Jequn. Until then, young Ahnnak, you and I have an accord.”

Gabriel stood and bowed deeply to the Isten. “Thank you, sir.” 

“Now, about your punishment today…”

Tense, Gabriel straightened and looked at the Isten. “Yes, sir…” His wings quivered, even as he fought to keep them under control.

Elohim laughed. He clapped Gabriel on the shoulder. “Do not look so worried, my boy. Your disruption today was a very public thing, and so, it will be handled as such. You need merely present yourself to Headmaster Iscriel. He will be expecting you.”

Gabriel’s mouth felt dry. He should have drank the tea. “And after, sir?”

“Well, Headmaster Iscriel tends to take such blatant acts of disrespect toward an Isten seriously. I imagine you will be required to report to the disciplinary office.” Elohim’s smile was still warm when he said, “A few lashes won’t kill you.”

The whipping Gabriel expected. He wasn’t looking forward to it, but it didn’t surprise him. “I meant after the academy is done with me.”

“I know what you meant.” Elohim’s hand remained an uncomfortable weight on Gabriel’s shoulder. “That is up to your father. Headmaster Iscriel will send Jequn a report, and should he feel your actions require additional discipline, well… You’ll be returning to me, won’t you?” The Isten squeezed Gabriel’s shoulder until the boy winced.

“Yes, sir,” Gabriel gasped.

“Good boy.” Elohim released him. “Go on, then. I’ve wasted enough of my morning with you. The other students will think I’m playing favorites.”

Gabriel bowed to the Isten. “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.” He turned toward the door, but before he pulled it open, he paused. He looked back over his shoulder. “Isten, can I ask you a question?”

“Hm?” Elohim had already picked up a parchment from the desk and was examining the neat writing.

“Am I like him, sir?” Gabriel asked.

“What do you mean?” Elohim didn’t look up from the page.

“My scent. Am I… Does it effect people like he does?” 

Elohim shifted his attention back to Gabriel. He smiled, but it wasn’t comforting. “You are a shadow of your father’s greatness, Gabriel. I doubt you would have much of an effect on anyone. Well, unless they somehow regularly ingest and absorb your essence.”

“Oh… I see, sir.” Gabriel’s chest felt too tight. He opened the door. “Thank you for your time.” 

As he stepped into the hall, Gabriel heard Elohim call, “See you soon, Ahnnak Gabriel.” 

The words hit him like cold water, but Gabriel knew he would return whenever the Isten Elohim summoned him. He would do it, because if he didn’t, Alex would be the target again. 

“Yes, sir,” Gabriel muttered. He closed the door and walked numbly down the hall to meet his fate with Headmaster Iscriel. The swarming thoughts that accompanied him were nearly overwhelming. 

For a while, Gabriel wondered if he would have been better off never learning the truth.


	45. Barachiel: 17th Degree of Wind, 596 DE

The Championship game of the Winter Hunt took place deep in the southern jungles of E’din. The Huntsmen’s lodge there, though only built twenty years ago, was already covered by the fast growing vines that linked the trees and prevented light from reaching the jungle floor. This Hunt would be as much a fight against whatever beast they had to face as it would a battle against the land. 

Barach stood outside the lodge with Erem, taking a moment to calm himself before pre-match preparations began. He had his boyfriend pinned in a vine-hidden hollow around the side of the building, where they wouldn’t be seen by anyone arriving to attend or watch tonight’s game. Barach touched his lips to Erem’s bruised mouth gently, just wanting to be close to him right now.

Erem looked up with those beautiful yellow eyes. His arms curled around Barach’s back, lightly running his fingers through the tiny feathers that grew at the base of Barach’s wings. “Are you nervous?”

“The only thing that makes me nervous is you and Gabriel getting into fights again when I’m not around.” Barach nuzzled against Erem’s ear, breathing in the ocean scent that clung to his boyfriend’s hair and skin.

“You know I can’t let him fight alone,” Erem whispered. The jungle was calm around them, nearly serene. Barach wished they could stay like this.

“You should let him fight alone,” he murmured. Erem tilted his head back and Barach gently kissed his exposed throat. “I don’t want Gabriel dragging you into fights just because he’s in a bad mood.”

“ _You_ always back him up.”

“That’s different.”

Erem’s brow furrowed. He moved Barach back from him. There was a hint of anger in his soft yellow eyes. “How is that different?”

“Gabriel’s arm was already broken,” said Barach. “He shouldn’t have been picking a fight in the first place, but he especially shouldn’t have done it when he couldn’t protect you.”

Erem shoved Barach hard, nearly knocking him through the vines that kept them hidden. “I do not need anyone protecting me,” he said sharply. “I’m not helpless.”

“I never said you were.” Barach saw that he had upset his boyfriend. He didn’t want that, especially not right before a Hunt. “Erem, I’m sorry. Don’t be mad at me, please. I know you’re not helpless.”

“I may not have your strength or Gabriel’s power, but I am faster than either of you.”

“Yes, I know.”

“You do not get to act like you’re protecting me!” Barach stepped toward his blue-skinned boyfriend, but before he could say anything, Erem had a knife out and held against his throat. “I could kill you before you ever raised a hand to stop me.” 

Barach leaned into the blade, letting it knick his skin. “If that would make you happy.”

Erem grit his teeth, eyes focused on the droplet of blood that rolled down Barach’s neck and chest. His hand shook, his sharp blade drawing more blood. “Fiends take you, Barach.” He pulled back, and the knife disappeared, hidden away with all Erem’s other weapons. Even Barach wasn’t sure how many blades Erem kept on him at one time. 

“Do you forgive me?” Barach asked, taking another step toward his boyfriend, using his bigger body to back him against the wall. 

“No,” Erem said stubbornly. “I want you to take me seriously.” 

“I do take you seriously.” Barach slid his hands into his boyfriend’s blond hair and tilted his face up. Erem’s pout was adorable. “Everything I feel for you is serious. You’re the only thing that matters to me. I just can’t bear the thought of anything happening to you when I’m not around.” He kissed Erem’s blue lips again, but he pressed hard enough against his bruised mouth to hurt. Erem moaned into the kiss and clutched the front of Barach’s shirt. His mouth opened, eagerly accepting Barach’s tongue.

“Ahem,” came a loud voice from outside the vines, along with two knocks on the stone. “I hope I’m not interrupting something.”

“ _Fuck_ ,” Barach grumbled under his breath. He pulled back from Erem and wiped the blood from Erem’s split lip off his mouth. Erem’s cheeks were flushed. It would be difficult to disguise what they had been doing, but the person interrupting them undoubtedly already knew. 

Erem smoothed the front of Barach’s shirt down and patted his chest. They exchanged a quick smile before Barach walked out through the vines. “Yes, Captain?”

“We’re going to begin preparations for the game soon. I need you there.”

“We still have three hours.”

“Yes, well, I thought you might prefer if I found you early, rather than when I send the rookies to round everyone up.”

Erem peeked out of the vines. “Thanks. Appreciated.”

Lorcas gave Erem a brief smile of acknowledgment, then turned his attention back to Barach. “I’ll let you say goodbye, but we need to go. I need you focused tonight.”

“I’m always focused,” said Barach, but he turned back to Erem and gave him a quick, chaste kiss. “I’ll see you after the game.”

“I’ll be watching,” said Erem. “Don’t die.”

Barach smiled at him, then followed Lorcas into the lodge. They entered through the players’ gates, avoiding the spectators already lining up to watch the Championship. Erem would join the crowd later, as the start of the match neared, but he’d be fine on his own. If the last few games were any indication, he would probably find Sera. It was annoying that they got along so well, but Erem had taken an interest in the balms Sera created, especially the lubricants. Those two could discuss viscosity, stability, and composition for hours. 

Barach couldn’t be completely upset about it though. Erem’s own attempts at creating balms had provided some interesting nights when Barach got to help him test them.

“Gabriel couldn’t come?” asked Lorcas as they walked through the quiet stone halls. In another hour, this area would be packed with Terran and Homm from all three teams, but for now, most of them were upstairs, socializing with their guests and fans.

“You would know better than I would,” said Barach. He could see through Lorcas’ attempt at casual indifference. “You saw him last.”

“He said he couldn’t get permission to come.”

Barach snorted. “Gabriel doesn’t need permission to go anywhere. He just uses that as an excuse when he doesn’t want to do something.” 

Lorcas’ brow furrowed. “Yeah. I figured. But he’s been acting weird the last couple weeks. He barely talks to me.”

“He gets that way sometimes,” said Barach. “Especially when he decides he doesn’t like someone.”

Lorcas grabbed Barach’s arm and pushed him back against the wall. “Hey, I know you don’t approve of what’s happened between me and Gabriel, but I’m worried about him. Ever since he tripped and broke his arm-”

“Wait. You don’t actually believe that, do you?”

“I-” Lorcas’ brow furrowed. “Well, no, but… do you know what really happened? Did he get in a fight?”

“I don’t know. He doesn’t really talking to me anymore either,” Barach admitted irritably. Even before Gabriel broke his arm, he had suddenly grown distant, like he was just going through the motions of his life. Class, study, sleep. Class, study, sleep. The only time he seemed like himself was when he was secretly dragging Erem into fights in Marut.

“I want to help him,” said Lorcas. He looked sincere. How despicable. 

Barach knocked the Terran’s hand away from his arm. “The only thing you can do to help, _Captain_ , is to leave him alone. You only have a week left at Archridge. After that, I hope he never sees you again. He doesn’t need you in his life.”

The muscle in Lorcas’ jaw twitched. “You have no idea what he needs.” 

“I am the only one who knows what he needs,” Barach replied coldly.

A Homm from High Point turned the corner and came down the hall. Lorcas stepped back from Barach, acting as if they weren’t in the midst of an argument, but the tension hung in the air between them. The Homm avoided looking at either one of the winged boys. He passed by quickly and ducked into his team’s assigned locker room.

Lorcas exhaled heavily. “Forget it. We need to focus on this Hunt.”

“Fine,” Barach grumbled sullenly. Lorcas was right. They did need to focus on the upcoming Hunt. There would be time to argue later, and if there wasn’t, Lorcas would be gone anyway. It didn’t really matter.

“Find Hul,” instructed the Captain. “Get him warmed up. Keep him out of his own head. Ombri is doing reconnaissance. We need to stay sharp tonight.” 

“Yes, Captain,” Barach said, and he went to do as his Captain commanded.

***

Barach helped Hul stretch his arm, massaging the shoulder as Hul winced and raised it over his head. It shouldn’t still hurt, but there was a thin white line across the Terran’s skin where his arm had been reattached. The damage had been severe, but half a year was plenty of time to recover from a torn off limb. Even if he hadn’t gotten it reattached, most of it would have regrown by now.

Hul’s wing twitch with pain and hit Barach’s side. “Sorry,” the Terran muttered.

“It’s fine. Bring your arm back.” Hul did as Barach instructed. He had full mobility and function. As long as he didn’t drop his blades, he would be fine. 

Ombri approached, fastening his gear to his waist. Hul winced again while Barach continued to massage and rotate his shoulder. “What did you find?” Hul asked his co-weapon. 

“Something big,” said Ombri. “Nothing else.”

“They got it guard- Ow!” 

“You’re fine,” Barach assured him, continuing his examination of Hul.

The Terran huffed and flexed his fingers. He looked back at Ombri. “So if it’s big and guarded, it’s probably a fiend.”

“Or,” said Barach, “they are trying to prevent sneaky teams from getting any information on the creature before the match begins.”

“As far as I’m concerned, the match begins when we arrive at the lodge,” said Hul. “I’d break a few High Point and Salt Lake wings if the Captain would let me.” Ombri nodded along with Hul, as if it were a reasonable idea.

“Not only would that get you kicked off the team, but out of Archridge,” said Barach. 

“I’ve been on the team longer than you, Rockiel. I’m aware.” Hul rolled his eyes. “You think you’re tough shit because you’ve going to be Vice-Captain next year? They’re just promoting you because you’re Ahnnak.”

“You’re welcome to stick around and fight me for the position,” he replied.

“Pass,” Hul huffed. “I’m done with Archridge. My sister already has a job for me on her supply team. I don’t need a specialization to calculate freight and fight off fiends.”

“Seems like a waste of an education,” said Barach. He released Hul’s arm and patted his shoulder. “If you were just joining the family business, why bother taking the advanced classes?” 

“I wasn’t planning to leave originally, but…” Hul shrugged sheepishly. “Lavela is pregnant.”

“What?!” Ombri exclaimed, eyes going wide.

“Don’t start with me, Om. I don’t need a lecture from you,” Hul responded sharply. Considering Ombri rarely said more than two words at a time, it was hard to imagine the Terran giving any sort of lecture. “I’m going to marry her. Get our pedigrees registered so the kid is official.”

Ombri punched Hul’s good shoulder. “You idiot!”

Barach grabbed them and pulled them apart before the fight could devolve into something more aggressive. “Knock it off. We need to focus. The Hunt starts in less than an hour. After that, I don’t care if you beat the shit out of each other.”

Ombri jerked away from Barach and angrily stormed out of the room. Hul scowled after him. “What’s his problem?”

“You couldn’t wait until after the Hunt to tell him?” asked Barach.

“I didn’t think it would matter,” said Hul. 

“How long have you and Ombri been friends?”

“First year.”

“And how long have you known Lavela was pregnant?”

“A couple months, but why- oh. You think he’s mad because I didn’t tell him sooner?”

“I think he’s mad because you were dumb enough to have sex with her without keeping your wards active. You know how to sterilize yourself before sex.”

“It’s not a big deal,” Hul insisted. “She was upset about some of her grades and her dad saying she would have to come back home if she didn’t do better, and she didn’t want to wait for me to activate anything. What was I going to do? Say no?” 

“That is exactly what you should have said.” Lavela hadn’t seemed like the type to entrap Hul like that, but she was a girl. Barach didn’t trust any of the academy girls. “You need to find Ombri.”

Hul sighed. “He’ll be fine. He’ll get over it.”

“Before the Hunt starts?”

The uncertainty Hul displayed wasn’t reassuring. He didn’t get to say anything, though, because Ground Commander Pon-Pon came in. Close on her heels was the rookie who tried to harass Gabriel at the beginning of the season. The boy’s attitude had flipped completely after that day, and now he followed Pon-Pon around everywhere. 

“Hey, guys,” said Pon-Pon. “Captain is looking to have everyone gather before the match starts.”

“I don’t need to hear another of his speeches,” said Hul. He grabbed his weapon belt and cinched it around his waist.

“It’s his _last_ speech,” Pon-Pon reminded him gently. “I think we should all be there.”

“I guess.” Hul refolded his wings and rubbed his shoulder. “Did he ask you and Thumper to find everyone?”

The rookie lowered his head at the new nickname everyone on the team used for him. Womzecotliel was his proper name. ‘Whomp’ was the name he tried to use, back when he was trying to be tough. After a few days serving at Barach’s mercy, he hadn’t been so tough anymore. When Pon-Pon showed him a little kindness, he attached to her and started following her everywhere. He wasn’t a bad kid, once he picked up on Pon-Pon’s soft-spoken mannerisms, and since her nickname came from the long-eared, quiet lapon that hopped through the forest, it was only natural for someone to convert ‘Whomp’ into the thumping sound the small beasts made to alert each other to danger. Since then, the rookie had been called Thumper and nothing else.

“Cariel asked us,” said Pon-Pon. “Duke is gathering people from the practice field.” She peered around the room. “Is Ombri back yet? I know he was investigating the creature we’re facing tonight, but…” 

“He didn’t find anything,” said Barach. “He was here, but he already left.” When Barach spoke, Thumper stepped behind Pon-Pon. The Terran boy could almost hide completely behind the muscular Homm girl, including his tightly folded wings. He glanced up briefly, but when he met Barach’s eye, he immediately looked back down.

Maybe Barach had been a little too hard on him, but he had no regrets. The boy wouldn’t mess with Gabriel again.

“Ombri left?” Pon-Pon asked, sounding surprised. “He wasn’t with the Captain. Where did he go?”

Barach looked at Hul. The Terran sighed and trudged out of the room. “Fine. Yes. I’ll go find him.” He grumbled the entire way out.

Pon-Pon bit her lip. After Hul was gone, she asked, “Is everything okay?”

Barach ruffled Thumper’s hair as he walked by them. The boy still cringed at his touch. It was almost cute. “Everything’s fine,” Barach said. “We have a game to win tonight. Let’s focus on that.”

“Yes, of course,” Pon-Pon said, then she and the rookie followed him out to the lounge to listen to the Captain’s final speech.

***

Lorcas stood on the risers before the gathered members of the Archridge Hunt, both those on the core team and the secondary line. The air buzzed with the energy of the coming game, but everyone was silent out of respect for their Captain. All eyes focused on him as he began to speak.

“Few of you know the circumstances of my time at Archridge, but you are all aware that this is my last Hunt,” Lorcasiel said, his voice strong. “Some of you may know that I was orphaned at a young age. I’ve never known the names of my parents, and after I lost them, I feared being forgotten like they were. I used to think fame was the only thing that mattered, as if every person in E’din knowing my name would be enough to fill what was missing inside me.”

Lorcas gazed around the room. “I was wrong. I’ve come to realize fame is meaningless if you do not have friends or family to share it with. And the years I have fought alongside all of you, I know now that you are my family. We may not always get along, but as long as you do what I tell you, you’ll be fine.” A couple of the higher ranked members of the Hunt chuckled, and Lorcas shared a warm smile with them.

“I never doubted that I would stand here today at the Winter Championship,” he continued, “but somehow, I always imagined I would feel different. Sad, maybe, that I was leaving. Or jealous of everyone who will continue to play after I’m gone. Maybe even angry. But I’m not. Looking out at all of you, I feel nothing but pride. 

“I have been Captain longer than many of you have been on this team. For fourteen seasons, I have guided and fought alongside you.” Lorcas looked to Cariel, who stood loyally at his side, as she had for five years. “I know it is only with your strength and devotion that we have been successful.” He faced the team again with pride in his voice. “I couldn’t have won these games without all of you. We are strong, because we fight for each other. No matter who claims our wins or celebrates our hard fought victories, we do this for ourselves. We will win this Championship in our own names! We will never be forgotten!” He shouted, “We are the Wild Hunt!” and everyone burst into cheers.

When Cariel stepped forward, the noise diminished. The Vice-Captain snapped a sharp salute to Lorcas with her fist over her heart. 

“Captain,” she said, chin raised and eyes bright, “we will never forget you. You will always be the Captain of our Wild Hunt.” She bowed low to Lorcas, and as she did, every member of the Hunt followed her gesture and bowed with her. Even Barach lowered his head out of respect for the Captain, though he didn’t bow as low as the others. 

Lorcas blinked a couple times, surprised by the display. “Come on, enough of that,” he said. His throat was tight, emotion evident in his voice. “We’ve got a game to win and some asses to kick.”

Cariel straightened. She grinned at Lorcas. “For Lorcasiel!” she cheered. “For victory!!!”

The answering roar of Huntsmen shook the walls. The Wild Hunt would begin soon, and they were all ready.

***

The Winter Championship started much like any other match, but they were barely an hour into it before the first casualty was announced. 

“It ate someone?!” Hul exclaimed after he heard the news from Duke’s tracker. Kanda had climbed the tree since she was skinny enough to slip through the branches and had no wings to get caught on the vines. The rest of her squad remained below, though Barach could hear Duke talking with Ku-Vox and Tek.

Kanda nodded. “That’s what the High Point team we fought said. It ate one of the new players for Salt Lake.” Kanda perched at the highest branch, swaying fearlessly in the wind, even though she didn’t have wings to catch her if she fell. Hul and Lorcas hovered before her, while Barach and Ombri kept watch a little higher up.

“Why did they tell you?” asked the Captain. 

“One of them threw mud on Duke’s shirt,” she explained. 

Lorcas nodded like that was an understandable explanation. It probably was. Duke didn’t like dirt, especially on his clothes. He had undoubtedly been furious. In fact, as Barach listened, he realized that was what Duke was on the ground complaining about to Tek and Vox, even now. 

“Did they say what the creature was?” Hul asked. 

Kanda shook her head. “The squad got away before we could get much else out of them. I don’t think they knew. I took their tags, and none of them had been used.”

“Good job,” said Lorcas. “Scattered?”

“Of course,” said Kanda. “Spread the tags across a brier patch. They’re not finding them anytime soon.”

“Well done, Kanda. Alright, return to your squad. I want you all headed north,” instructed Lorcas. “High Point and Salt Lake’s aerial teams are both circling in the south, but no one else has sent up any signals. Stay alert.”

“Always, Captain.” Kanda saluted and dropped back down through the branches. 

The moon rose higher as the teams swept the area. The jungle arena was expansive. The trees were so thick, it was practically impossible to track the creature, especially since no one was sure what they were facing.

Lorcas hovered, his back to the rest of the squad. His wings beat rhythmically as he focused on something distant. Sometimes he got like that in matches, letting himself be vulnerable while he searched for something only he could sense. He trusted Barach to watch his back, even if they weren’t always on the best of terms.

Hul impatiently darted back and forth in the air behind Lorcas. “Where is it? How has no one found it yet?” He opened and closed his fists, his nerves showing through. The longer this went on, the more unreliable he would be.

Ombri remained close to Barach, frowning unhappily while he watched Hul. “It’s hiding,” he stated, like Hul had asked the stupidest question. The Terran managed to express a lot of his anger and disdain in his clipped words. It was obvious he was still unhappy about Hul’s earlier announcement.

“It ate someone,” Hul retorted. “It shouldn’t be small enough to hide. How could a squad lose it after it ate someone?”

“They were probably in shock,” said Barach. He looked south, where he could see the distant shapes of Salt Lake scouring the treetops. “If it ate one of their teammates, they probably needed to escape or be eaten as well.”

“Do you think they got a tag in?” asked Hul.

“Does it count if the creature swallows the tag holder?” asked Barach.

Hul opened his mouth and raised a finger, but then stopped and lowered his hand. “You know what, I don’t know. Lorc-”

“They have to be external and visible upon admin inspection,” the Captain replied irritably. He still kept his back to them.

Hul gestured at Lorcas. “There you go. No. Doesn’t count, not unless you can wait until the beast shits it out and hopefully sits in it. Then it can tag its own ass and you just have to feed your Huntsmen to it first.”

“That’s stupid,” said Ombri.

Hul puffed, rising higher in his irritation. “You’re stupid. Are you going to belittle me all night? Get over it. So what if I got a girl pregnant? It wouldn’t have changed anything. I was going to marry her anyway.”

Ombri rose to the challenge, getting in Hul’s face. “She’s lying. Can’t you see? She’s half Homm.”

“Fuck you, Om!” Hul shoved Ombri away. “Why can’t you be happy for me? I thought you were my friend!”

Ombri clenched his fists. “I am! But I-”

Whatever he was about to say was lost as Lorcas suddenly spun and yelled, “Hul! Beneath you!”

It happened in a split second. There was a deep croak from the jungle floor, then a sticky spike shot into the air. There wasn’t time to react. It aimed toward Hul, but in the last moment, Ombri shoved his co-weapon out of the way. The sticky slab collided with Ombri’s body, fusing to his wing and hip. It retracted, pulling the Terran out of the sky in an instant. 

Barach didn’t think. He plunged after Ombri with his wings tight against his sides. The Terran was being pulled down too fast. Ombri couldn’t slow himself or break away from the sticky mass that adhered to his feathers and skin. His free wing beat at the air as he tried to twist away, but it was a futile gesture.

Just before Ombri hit the dense canopy of trees, Barach grabbed his arm. He thrust his wings open to halt their momentum, but it wasn’t enough. They were both pulled down into the trees. Thick branches snapped and broke, until Barach collided with one that held against the force of their plummet. It caught him across the gut and knocked the air from his lungs, but he didn’t release Ombri’s arm. The jarring impact was enough to break the Terran free of the adhesive mass, though he cried out in pain as half his feathers were ripped from his wing.

Barach pulled Ombri up to him, and had just gotten his arms linked around the other boy’s torso when he heard a snap. He had a heartbeat to look at the branch that supported their weight before it cracked. All Barach could do was fold himself around Ombri as they crashed to the jungle floor.

They landed in a pile of broken branches. Leaves rained down around them. Barach hopped up, brandishing one of his wooden clubs, but there was no sign of their attacker. Ombri groaned in pain.

“Are you hurt?” Barach asked, standing guard over the fallen Terran.

“Fuck yes,” Ombri hissed. “My wing…”

Lorcas and Hul dropped through the hole their descent had made in the trees. “Ombri!” Hul cried. He slid in on his knees next to his co-weapon.

Lorcas fluttered down, looking at the Terran with dread. “He’s alive?”

“Ow! Fuck!” Ombri yelled as Hul touched the bruises Barach left on the his arm when he caught him.

“He’s alive,” Barach confirmed.

“Thank the Isten,” Lorcas muttered with a shaky breath.

“You idiot!” Hul exclaimed. He clutched Ombri’s shirt, ignoring the pained expression on the injured Terran’s face. “Why? Why did you jump in front of me like that?”

“You’re lucky he did,” said Lorcas. “Otherwise you would have snapped your neck on the way down. You’d be dead, Hul.”

“I could have avoided it,” Hul insisted, even if there had been no time for any of them to react before the attack. Hul jostled Ombri, making the Terran wince again. “I never asked you to protect me. You’re supposed to fight at my side forever.” He curled over his friend, hiding his face against Ombri’s chest. “What am I supposed to do if I lose you?”

Ombri sighed and closed his eyes. He raised one hand and gently pet Hul’s hair. “Fucking crybaby,” he muttered affectionately.

Barach looked away from them. He didn’t feel comfortable observing this moment between the two Terran. Plus, their squad wasn’t out of danger yet. “Where do you think it went?” Barach asked Lorcas.

“It’s close,” the Captain replied. “I think we’re facing a-”

Just then, a deep croak vibrated through the jungle. Barach had a split second to react before the sticky projectile shot between him and Lorcas. It hit the tree behind them, splintering the wood into a thousand pieces on impact. As it retracted, it drew one of the thick branches with it. Barach and Lorcas fell to the ground and flattened their wings as the leafy limb narrowly whooshed over their heads. 

Barach looked up in time to see the creature they were supposed to Hunt catch the branch in its wide, toothless maw. It bit down, and there was only a split second delay before the limb creaked and exploded under the pressure. Bulging eyes receded as it attempted to swallow, but it ended up pushing the remainder of the pulpy mess out with its wide, sticky tongue.

“It’s a Taothi,” Lorcas confirmed from the mud beside Barach. “We’ve got to move.”

“What the hell is a Taothi?” Barach demanded, staring at the creature in horror.

“That.” Lorcas stood and motioned toward the creature. “Ombri can explain more, but we don’t have a lot of time. Barach, I need you to distract it.”

The creature was huge, larger than anything they had faced before. “Distract it?” Barach exclaimed. “How?!”

Lorcas grabbed Barach’s arm and pulled him to his feet. The Captain’s eyes flashed with a haze of white before he said, “You’re not going to like it…”

***

Taothi were amphibious, swamp-dwelling carnivores from the swamps beyond the eastern mountains. Not much was known about them, except that they were difficult to catch and extremely hostile. They were faster in water than on land, but with the range of their tongues, that didn’t really matter. Known accounts only stated that they were ravenous and cared little for reason.

That was why it was completely absurd that Barach was walking up to the thing with Ombri’s sword in one hand and his own hardened wood baton in the other. 

_This is a bad idea_ , he thought to himself again as he approached the giant, squat creature. It had horns that curled around the sides of its wide neck, protecting it from damage. Bulbous eyes focused on him with hungry curiosity. 

“ _Food?_ ” it croaked. The pouch at its throat swelled, turning crimson. 

_Great. It can talk._

“I’m not food, you overgrown tadpole,” Barach sneered at the fiend. “I am your death.” 

“ _Sounds like food_ ,” the fiend chirruped. It tilted its head, its attention drawn to the flash of the silver sword. Barach tightened his grip on the weapon. Lorcas had told him it would be useless for penetrating the slimy hide of the creature, but Barach felt better with it in his-

The tongue shot out. It snatched the sword from Barach’s hand as if he hadn’t been holding it with all his strength. The Taothi’s tongue retracted just as fast, and it bit down. The metal of the sword crumpled like parchment in its mouth, but not before the sharp tip poked its upper palate. It spit the bent sword on the ground and gave a disappointed croak.

“ _Not food_.”

_Shit._

Barach switched the baton to his main hand. His wings gave a nervous flutter, but he resisted the compulsion to try to escape. It would do no good against this fiend. He tightened his wings against his back and held his ground as the Taothi approached on stubby bowlegs. The claws at the end of each webbed toe tore into the soggy leaves coating the jungle floor. Barach tried not to think about how much damage they could do. Those claws weren’t his immediate concern. 

The fiends stopped over Barach. It tilted its head from side to side, examining him with one eye at a time. It smelled like ages of decay in a stagnant swamp. It was repulsive. Barach turned his face away as it lowered its head and sniffed him.

“ _Are you Jinn or bug_?” it inquired with a chirp.

Barach glared at the fiend. “I am not Jinn,” he said angrily.

“ _Then you are bug_ ,” the Taothi decided. “ _Iblis says we eat bugs._ ” It opened it’s mouth wide, and Barach had only one more second to consider how stupid this plan was before the Taothi ate him.

***

It swallowed him whole. 

Barach took a deep breath before he was plunged into the gloom of the fiend’s gullet. The Taothi didn’t risk biting him, not after the sword had stabbed the top of its mouth. No, it just opened its throat and swallowed the Ahnnak boy in one gulp. 

The interior of the Taothi was hotter than Barach expected. The constricting muscles of its throat made it difficult to move as he was swallowed, but he was able to wedge the wooden baton in its lower esophagus before he fell into its stomach. 

The fiend coughed. The wood bowed, but it remained in place. There was an annoyed chirp before the Taothi began to move. Barach could feel the swaying of the creature from within the tight confines of its stomach. He tried to lash out and fight it from within, but the spongy lining stretched around him. He needed something sharp to cut his way out.

_Where the hell was Lorcas?_

Slimy acid clung to Barach’s skin and wings. He could feel it beginning to dissolve his skin. His feathers curled at the edges, and he tried to keep his wings tight to prevent as much exposure as possible. The hot, wet darkness was suffocating. He kicked and struggled, fighting the panic rising in him just as much as he fought the Taothi.

Then, his hand brushed something familiar. A boot. There was someone else in there.

Barach grabbed what he felt and pulled. A small body came toward him. It was slimy with acid, but when Barach felt the neck, he found a faint pulse.

_She’s still alive_ , he realized. 

Without thinking, Barach gathered the girl in close, including her wings, and pressed his mouth to hers. She wasn’t responsive, but he shared his breath with her. He wrapped his wings around them both, shielding her from further harm in the stomach of the Taothi.

There was nothing he could do now but wait and hope.

***

The fiend was unable to make it far with the wooden baton lodged in its throat. Its need to stop and cough prevented it from disappearing again. The proceeding battle was short, though by the time Lorcas and Hul defeated the Taothi, Barach was barely conscious himself. 

Fresh air and light woke him as the Taothi’s stomach was sliced open. Barach and the girl in his arms spilled out onto the gore soaked ground. The moonlight had never felt so bright.

Lorcas crouched over Barach and slapped his face twice. “Hey,” he said, grinning. “We won.”

Barach coughed up some of the bile he had inadvertently swallowed. He glared up at Lorcasiel. “You slap me again and I’ll kill you.”

Lorcas’ grin widened. “You did good, bruiser.”

Barach closed his eyes as the celebratory fireworks began exploding over the jungle. “Fuck you, Captain,” he declared. “I’ll see you in hell.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Lorcas laughed, then turned his attention to the girl at Barach’s side until the medics arrived to care for them all.

***

One tag and the kill. That was all it took for Archridge to win the Winter Championship of the Wild Hunt. The celebration was loud enough that Barach could hear it even from where he lay in bed in the lodge’s medical ward. 

“I’m never going to forgive you for this!” Erem exclaimed as he paced back and forth at the foot of Barach’s bed. “Do you have any idea how scared I was?!”

“Erem…” Barach’s throat felt raw. His whole body felt raw. His feathers had shriveled and contorted. His wings would take weeks to recover, but right now, all he wanted was to rest. “I’m fine. Stop pacing.”

“Fine? FINE?! You were eaten, Barach!” Erem stomped over and punched Barach’s shoulder. There were tears in his yellow eyes. “I thought you were dead,” he cried.

Barach pulled Erem down and held him against his bandaged chest. “I’m not dead. You haven’t lost me yet.” He stroked his boyfriend’s blond hair. 

“I never want to lose you,” Erem sobbed against his chest. “Never do anything that stupid again!”

“I promise,” Barach assured him. That was definitely an experience he had no intention of repeating.

There was a knock on the door. Erem moved away from Barach and stood in the corner, facing the wall while he scrubbed the tears from his face. Two Terran Huntsmen entered, though they weren’t from Archridge.

“Ahnnak Barachiel?” asked the shorter of the two boys. It was the Captain of Salt Lake. Megrisiel. He had confronted Lorcas after the first match of the season.

“Captain Lorcasiel isn’t here,” Barach informed him.

“I, uh… We didn’t come to see him.” Megrisiel stepped forward and bowed low with one wing extended in supplication. The tall bruiser at his side mirrored the gesture. “Ahnnak Barachiel, thank you for saving our cousin,” the Captain of Salt Lake declared. 

“Cousin?” Barach sat upright, even though the move pained him. He could see the family resemblance now. Even if he had only seen the girl a moment before the medics hauled her away, the three of them could have been siblings. “Is she…?”

“She’s alive. Barely.” Megrisiel’s extended wing trembled. “If not for you, we would have lost her. I knew she was too inexperience to be on the team, but… I made a mistake.” He raised his eyes to meet Barach’s. “We are in your debt. My family pledges our service to you and your Isten for all eternity.”

_Oh, shit_. Barach did not need this, not now. He tried to move toward them, but the pain kept him in bed. “Don’t bow. Please.” He tried to be tactful, but as the boys straightened, he could already see the fanaticism in their eyes. “I accept your thanks, but I do not need your devotion. I was only doing what anyone would have done.” 

“We will do anything to repay you,” said Megrisiel. “You have my word.”

“Then leave,” snapped Erem. He turned to face them, though his eyes were still red from crying. “Stop bothering him and get out.”

The two Terran folded their wings. “Yes, of course,” said Megrisiel. He bowed again to Barach, though it was brief. “By your leave, my lord.” 

“Just go,” Erem grumbled. The Terran from Salt Lake left the room, and Erem slammed the door after them. “Idiots.”

“Erem, they nearly lost their cousin.” 

The blue-skinned boy approached Barach and climbed onto the bed with him. “I don’t care. You don’t need them. You don’t need anyone but me.” He pulled off his shirt and flung it aside. 

“Erem-”

Barach’s protest was weak and cut off by the hard press of Erem’s mouth against his. There was such need and fear in that touch, Barach couldn’t resist. He surrendered to his boyfriend, and let Erem spend the rest of the night making sure he was really, truly still alive.


	46. Gabriel: 23rd Degree of Wind, 596 DE

Gabriel woke slowly. The weight of Sera and Lorcas on top of him was warm and comfortable, but he couldn’t stay. He carefully adjusted and pulled his wing out from under Lorcas’ head, though the Huntsman didn’t stir. On Gabriel’s other side, Sera was laying on his arm, the one Elohim had broken as punishment. The bone had already healed, so it was just a little sore, but not enough that Sera’s slim frame bothered him.

“Sera,” Gabriel whispered, touching his lips to her ear. “I need to move.”

“Don’t,” the girl muttered. She curled an arm around his waist and snuggled against him. “You’re warm. Stay with us more…”

Gabriel checked the daylight tubes in the corner of the room. There was no light coming through yet, but dawn couldn’t be too far away. “Seraphiel, move.” He said it gently, but Sera didn’t like being called her given name much. She gave him a grumpy pout and sat up, still half asleep. She rubbed her eyes as Gabriel slipped out of bed. 

“You don’t have to leave,” she said.

“We have class soon.”

“There’s only two days left of class for the year. No one will care if you’re late.”

Gabriel flexed his fingers, feeling the lingering ache in his arm. “Yes they will.” The Isten Elohim had snapped his bones so easily, then smiled and laughed while he applied ice and helped set the bone. There had been no cruelty or malice in the act. It was just a simple reprimand for a disobedient tool. Because really, that was all Gabriel was- a tool to be manipulated to serve the Isten. There was no escaping them. It was all he could do to act as a shield between the unfathomable power of the immortals and the innocence of his little brother. 

Sera came up behind Gabriel and slid her arms around his waist, just under his wings. “You’re doing it again.”

“Hm?”

“Getting that far away look like something is bothering you.” She kissed his upper back. He could feel her breath against the soft down at the base of his wings. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“It doesn’t matter.” He raised a wing over her head and turned in the circle of her arms until they were facing each other. “I really can’t stay, Sera.” 

“I know.” She kissed his neck under his jawline. “We just don’t have much time left together,” she murmured against his skin.

He curled his arms around her and rested his chin on top of her head. He knew. He didn’t need to be reminded constantly that he was going to lose the companionship he had with her and Lorcas. He wasn’t naive enough to believe it was love. There was no such thing, especially if any attachment they felt toward him might exist only because of the influence of Jequn’s power in his veins. 

No, it wasn’t love, but even if it was a lie, he still lamented losing them.

Gabriel glanced to the bed where the Huntsman lay naked and softly snoring. Gabriel wished he could be happy Lorcas was leaving. He wished he still hated him.

“I have something for you,” Gabriel said softly while he moved Sera back from him. “A gift.”

Her brow raised. “A gift? For me?”

“Yeah, though it’s kind of for Lorcas, too, since… Well, since you two will be together again in a few years.” 

She smiled sadly. “A few years. Right.” Eight decades. That was Lorcasiel’s required service. As long as he survived the Isten Damabiath.

“He’ll be fine,” Gabriel assured her. He lowered her hands from his waist and squeezed them a little before letting her go. She watched him quietly, the soft movement of her wings the only sign of her uncertainty.

Gabriel crouched by the pile of clothes he had worn over. It didn’t take long to find what he was looking for in the soft silks. He returned with it to Sera, took her hand, and placed the heavy silver and blue stone on her palm.

Sera tilted her head, looking at it curiously. “It’s pretty,” she said. “What is it?”

It was the stone Gabriel had stolen from Alex’s room what felt like a lifetime ago. He had kept it at the back of his closet with the cut ribbon that once bound his brother’s legs. It was precious, for more reasons than he cared to think of, but he wanted Sera to have it. 

“It’s wolframite,” Gabriel explained. “It’s a stone the Isten harvest from the western continent.” He turned the stone over in her hand, so she could see the sturdy ridges of the silver metal amid the blue quartz. “It contains tungsten, a precious metal they use to make filament wire and repair their interplanetary communication tablets. If you sell it, it’ll give you enough money to survive a few years, until you get settled.” 

Sera gasped. “Gabriel, I can’t take this.” She tried to push it back into his hand.

He closed her fingers around the stone and held firm. Gabriel’s ice blue eyes met Sera’s lavender gaze. “Please,” he said, putting as much emotion as he dared into the word. “I need you to take it. It’s the only thing I can do for you. And for him.” 

Tears filled Sera’s eyes. Her lip quivered. “Gabriel…” She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. She didn’t let go of the stone.

From the bed, a grumpy voice said, “Fiends, you two are noisy.” Lorcas rolled onto his back and rubbed his face. “If you’re going to wake me up, you could at least do it with a blow job.” 

Gabriel let Sera slip out of his arms. She walked over to Lorcas and smacked his leg. “Be nice,” she scolded.

“Ow! Fiends, Sera, what the hell?!” Lorcas sat up and rubbed his leg, though that had undoubtedly hurt less than the rest of the bruises that still patterned his chest after the Championship Hunt.

“Gabriel gave us a gift.” She held it up.

“Oh, great. A rock,” Lorcas grumbled. He rolled his eyes. 

“I gave it to Sera,” Gabriel said. “Not you. Like I would ever give you anything.”

“Hmph. Just as well,” the Huntsman grunted. “I relinquish all ownership of my belongings at the first of the year. I am just a slave, after all.” 

Gabriel was well aware of that fact, but it still frustrated him that there was nothing more he could do to change it. He picked up his silk pants from the floor, using that as an excuse to hide the resigned heartache he felt. 

Sera went over and added the treasured stone to the basket of Lorcas’ belongings that she was going to keep for him. There was also a book, which held a collection of stolen feathers from over the years, most of them being Gabriel’s. She said she would guard the belongings with her life. Gabriel believed her.

As Gabriel pulled his silk pants on and tied the sash around his waist, Lorcas asked, “Where are you going, baby?”

“Back to my room,” he replied, keeping his face hidden. 

“You’re not leaving without saying goodbye.”

Gabriel looked back at Lorcas. The Huntsman had pushed himself up onto his elbows, lounging expectantly on the bed. Gabriel snorted. “I’m not going to have sex with you again.”

“Then just a kiss.” 

It was a lie. There was no doubt about it, but Gabriel went to Lorcas. He let the Huntsman curl his fingers under the waistband of his pants and pull him onto the bed. He lowered his mouth to touch the Terran’s lips, and felt the scratchy bristle of hair on his chin. 

Ahnnak like Gabriel rarely grew facial hair. Even if Lorcas kept it shaved, the stubble grew back fast enough to be another reminder of how temporary Terran lives were. Even if either of them escaped their Isten, Gabriel would still inevitably lose Lorcas and Sera to the passage of time.

“I don’t want to smell like you,” Gabriel muttered against Lorcas’ mouth. 

The Huntsman’s deep chuckle rumbled through his chest. “Tough. I want you to only smell like me, baby boy. I want everyone to know you’re mine, even after I’m gone.”

“I am not yours,” Gabriel insisted.

Lorcas flipped him onto the bed and pinned his arms over his head. “Until my last sunrise, you’re mine.” He growled and nipped at Gabriel’s neck.

Gabriel didn’t resist him. He didn’t want to. When Sera joined them, she took over Lorcas’ hold on Gabriel’s wrists, freeing the Huntsman to devote his attentions lower. Her touch was delicate. Gabriel could have broken free at any time, but he remained restrained by them both.

Even if everything they felt for him was a lie, fueled by the stain of his Isten’s ability, Gabriel wanted to pretend. 

Until the harsh light of dawn shattered his dreams, he could pretend.


	47. Alex: 24th Degree of Wind, 596 DE

The final class of the year ended, and Alex rushed back to his room. Everything was already packed, ready to be transfered to the eighth year rooms tomorrow, but he had a satchel with snacks prepared for today. He was in a good mood. He had passed all his classes, and he couldn’t wait to fly to Marut to tell Remiel.

Alex darted out of the room and was halfway down the hall when he bumped into Isa. The Terran caught him and grinned. “You’re in a hurry today,” Isa said warmly.

With a blush, Alex stepped back from his friend. “I’m going to Marut.”

Isa tucked Alex’s hair behind his ear with a gentle touch. “Tell that firestarter ‘hi’ for me if you see him. It’s kind of boring without him around.”

Alex smiled at Isa. Uzzi had been suspended for the rest of the year after the Descendants fire. He spent most of that time healing at Remiel, Sophie, and Zak’s home. “Do you want me to tell him you miss him?” Alex teased. 

“Don’t you dare,” Isa balked. “You tell him that, and I’m going to tell him you let me kiss you every night before bed.”

Alex’s face flushed. “Not funny, Isa. He’ll believe you.”

“Well, if you kiss me now, it wouldn’t really be a lie.” Isa leaned forward like he was going to steal a kiss in the hall. 

Alex pressed his hand over Isa’s mouth. Even the touch of the boy’s lips against his palm was enough to make his skin crawl. “I’m not kissing you, Isa.”

Isa pulled Alex’s hand down from his mouth. “It’s not nice to play favorites.”

“I’m not kissing anyone,” Alex informed him. “I’ve got to go. Have a nice trip home.” He ducked under Isa’s arm and hurried down the hall.

Isa huffed and watched him go. “Yeah. Right.” 

***

Alex flew to Marut in record time. His wings were small, but strong enough for him to dart over the short distance without pause. He landed in the blue square, which was the closest open air landing to Remiel’s shop, and ran the rest of the distance on foot.

A bell jingled when Alex burst in the door. 

“Welcome,” Remiel said cheerfully. “How can I- Oh! Alex!” The older Ahnnak came out from behind the counter and hugged the black-haired boy. “It’s so good to see you!”

Alex grinned up at Remiel. “I passed.”

“You passed?”

“All of them.”

Remiel grinned and hugged Alex again. “I’m so happy for you!” 

Alex was happy, too, but the contact was going on too long. He wiggled out of Remiel’s arms. The older Ahnnak didn’t seem bothered by the withdraw. “Is Uzzi around?” Alex asked.

“He’s out back.” Remiel grinned. “Zak and him are trying to fix the furnace. They might be a while.”

Alex nodded. He looked around Remiel’s shop, and found that the older Ahnnak had added more fabrics and styles to his offered selections. “Have you had a lot of sales?” Alex asked.

Remiel shrugged. “A couple. There aren’t many people who understand the quality of my work, but I’ve made some custom pieces that sold well. Sometimes people wander in out of curiosity. Sometimes I’m able to sell them new outfits. Speaking of new outfits…” Remiel went to the cubicles on the wall behind the counter. He reached up and took one of the packages down. “I noticed you were outgrowing your clothes again. I made you some more.”

“Thank you, Remi.” The bundle was wrapped, but Alex trusted Remiel to choose clothing and colors he would be comfortable in. He pulled six gold coins from his pouch and placed them on the counter next to the clothes.

“Oh, Alex, you don’t need to pay,” Remiel protested.

“I want to,” the boy said.

“It’s too much.” Remiel slid the coins toward Alex. His fingers looked long and strange without all the rings he used to wear. There was only one solitary gold band remaining. 

“I don’t have anything else to buy this month,” Alex said. He pushed the coins back toward Remiel. “I’d just waste it on food.” 

“You are still growing. You need to eat.”

“I can take care of myself,” Alex insisted.

Remiel sighed and gave Alex a soft smile. “You’re so stubborn.” 

Alex beamed. “Yes. So there’s no point arguing with me anymore.”

Remiel laughed. He scooped the coins up and added them to the locked till.

The door chimed again. “Welcome,” Remiel called. He looked up as he closed the till drawer. “How can I help you?”

A broad man walked over. His feathers and his uniform were stiff, like they’d all been starched. “This your shop?” the man asked. 

“Yes,” Remiel said, his tone polite, even though his smile was cautious. “Can I help you find something today? A gift perhaps? Or a new shirt for yourself that looks like it came from this century?” 

The man’s lip pulled back in a sneer. “I’m not here to buy anything. I’m an inspector with Marut security. My name is Fezriel. You’re the unclaimed Ahnnak Remiel, right?”

Remiel huffed. “I doubt you’re claimed by anyone either.”

Fezriel bristled. “Who is this?” he demanded, pointing at Alex.

“A customer,” Remiel snapped. “A paying one, so if you don’t mind, I’ve got a business to run.”

“Enough with your attitude, Ahnnak,” the investigator yelled. He slammed his hand down on the counter. “We know what’s going on. We found this in a sympathizer raid last week.” He raised his hand, revealing a blue braid of cord that looked a lot like firecord. “A Homm used ice to seal a door shut, allowing the whole operation to escape.”

“Homm can’t use elements,” Remiel said like he was reminding the man of a simple fact. 

“He used the cord to trigger it,” the inspector growled through clenched teeth.

Remiel waved his hand at the cord on the counter. “So? What does this have to do with me?”

“I know you’re part of this.” 

“How?” Remiel asked. “Exactly what are you accusing me of?” He raised his arm and shook the energy suppressing manacle in the inspector’s face. “You all castrated me, remember? I can’t even light a fire to keep warm.” He snapped his fingers to demonstrate, and the manacle blazed blue with a crack of painful energy that bit into his bronze skin. 

Fezriel knocked Remiel’s wrist aside. “You may not be making this, but you know who is. I know you’re involved. Scum like you is always involved. I don’t know how, but when I find out, rest assured that I will be the one to destroy you.” 

“Oh, please,” Remiel scoffed. He rubbed his wrist where his skin was marked from trying to use energy. “I don’t have time for every false accusation thrown around your precinct just because you all don’t like my lineage. I have a business to run, and if you’re not going to buy anything, get out.”

“I’ll be back, Ahnnak,” the inspector threatened. He snatched the blue cord from the counter and walked stiffly out the door, leaving Alex wide eyed at the whole of the intense exchange.

“Can you believe the nerve of him?” Remiel asked after the bell chimed and the door closed. “He didn’t even wipe off his shoes.”

“Remi, that sounded serious,” Alex said, worried for his friend. “Why would he accuse you of something like that?”

Remiel’s green eyes glittered mischievously. “Well, he’s not wrong.” 

“Remi!”

The bronze-skinned Ahnnak laughed. He came around the counter and peered down the back hall that led outside. Zak and Uzzi’s voices could be heard, but they still sounded like they were working on the furnace. “Can I trust you to keep a secret, Alex?” Remiel asked with an excited whisper.

“Always,” the young boy said. Remiel grinned and took his hand. He led him through a curtain in the back to his craft room, which was covered in embroidered bolts of fabric and looms. He went to a shelf along the back wall and touched a latch on the side. The shelf swung open, revealing a dark room. Remiel pulled Alex inside before the boy could do much more than squeak in protest.

The shelves shut, closing the boys in absolute darkness. It felt claustrophobic. Remiel released Alex’s hand, and for a second, the boy felt like he was completely alone. 

Then Remiel snapped his fingers. Fire erupted atop candles about the room, revealing stacked crates along the narrow space and a workbench covered in glittering threads.

“What is this place?” Alex asked breathlessly. He was drawn to the threads on the desk. They looked like firecord.

“I discovered this room while I was remodeling the shop,” Remiel said. “This building used to belong to a Jinn sympathizer, you know. I think he used this area for smuggling. There’s a hatch in the floor over there that leads to tunnels beneath the city. Most of them are caved in now, but I think a few are functional.”

Alex lifted one of the threads from the workbench. He could feel the weight of power inside the delicate strand. It _was_ firecord. He turned wide black eyes to Remiel. “You’re making this again?”

Remiel smiled sheepishly and came over. “You remember Tirq and Chaidi?” 

Alex nodded. They used to be Remiel’s roommates, but they’d been expelled about the same time he was. 

“Well, they found me again,” Remiel said. “Tirq joined a gang after he left Archridge, and he came in here with some goons to extort protection money from me. We were both so startled to see each other, we nearly let it slip that we were friends.”

“Protection money?” Alex asked for clarification.

Remiel laughed. “I pay them to not burn my shop down.”

Alex frowned. “That’s bad, Remi.”

“It’s okay, Alex. Tirq came back later on his own, and we had a chance to catch up. He told me he was still in touch with Chaidi, who is stuck working for his parents as a caterer. They host events for rich Terran who want to pretend at being Isten. It sounds miserable, but he has connections. One thing led to another, and we ended up discussing how we all got expelled from Archridge. It seems Chaidi was the one who got caught, when he left a shipment in his kit during practice.” Remiel touched one of the glittering blue threads. “I don’t blame them. We all knew what would happen if we were discovered.” He sighed heavily and looked at Alex. “It wasn’t your fault, either. You know that, right?”

Alex still felt guilt about Remiel being expelled. “If I hadn’t-”

“No, Alex.” Remiel touched his shoulder. “It isn’t your fault. Things are better now, anyway. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

A little of the lingering guilt eased from Alex’s chest. “Really?”

“I swear.” He grinned and the thin boy returned the expression. Remiel released Alex’s shoulder and picked up a thread. “So, while Tirq and I were talking, he mentioned how easy making money had been when he sold firecord for me. There were still people coming to him, looking for supply. Chaidi, too. He asked if there was any chance I would be making it again. Since I’m stuck in the manacle for the foreseeable future, I had to inform him that, no, I couldn’t.”

“But you are able to use energy,” Alex pointed out.

Remiel smiled at him. “It’s a secret, though, isn’t it? But Tirq has always been clever, like you. I don’t think he believed me either. Before he left, he told me if I happened to find a bundle of cord laying around, he could get me twice our normal rate. Repairing the house and shop has cost a little more than I was expecting, so I figured, just once, maybe it would be okay. I came in here at night when Sophie and Zak were at work and crafted a new bundle.

“They don’t know,” Alex realized.

“Not about firecord, not about this room, none of it. If anything ever happens to me, they’ll be innocent.”

“Do you think anyone will believe that?”

“I’m being careful.”

“But that inspector said-”

“Fiends, that man couldn’t find his own ass with both hands. He’s all bluster. Inspectors like that have been questioning every weaver in the city. They have no proof, and they can’t blame me, because they know I can’t manipulate elements. They made sure of it.” He twisted his wrist. The manacle spun around his unbruised skin. The mark from his earlier display had already faded.

“How are you doing it?” Alex asked curiously.

“It’s just another piece of jewelry, right?” Remiel said lightly. Alex stared at him, waiting for a proper explanation. Remiel sighed and gave it to him. “There are hollows in the manacle that don’t activate when the neutralizing components of the glyph glows. They remain empty, and if I thread power through them, I can cast elements at a reduced power, but it’s better than not being able to cast at all. The pathways took a lot of trial and error, but eventually I mapped a path that I could replicate in silver thread and fuse to the bottom of the manacle. It takes a lot of control, but at least I’m not helpless anymore.” 

“I don’t think you’ve ever been helpless, Remi,” Alex said, looking up at the boy who had served as his tutor for so many years. Remiel’s power wasn’t what made him strong. It was his compassion and patience. That was what made him more powerful than anyone else Alex knew.

“You’re sweet, Alex.” Remiel ruffled his black hair. “Oh, I nearly forgot.” He stood on his toes and reach onto the shelf over their heads. He pulled down a multicolor band of threads. “I thought you might be out of cords by now.” 

Alex had one thread of firecord left, which he was saving for an emergency, like if he had to give a presentation in class. The bracelet Remiel held out to him, though, had twists of various colors. It didn’t glitter like the other cords on the workbench, but Alex could feel the energy in the threads. 

“I made some adjustments,” Remiel explained. “The activating cords are within the twists, so they’re less likely to trigger on their own. Red for fire, blue for ice, yellow for electricity.”

“You’ve captured different elements?” Alex asked in awe as he took the offered bracelet from Remiel. 

“Sparkcord is easier to create than firecord, but ice was hard to capture. It’s already a stasis based element. But frostcord sells for the most, especially for food transport, and a whole bundle is enough to cover our household expenses for a month.” 

Alex held out his wrist and let Remiel attach the bracelet around his arm. “You shouldn’t hide this from Sophie and Zak.”

“They’ve got enough to worry about,” Remiel replied as he deftly fastened the bracelet. “Maybe when the shop is more self-sufficient, I can stop, but for now, it’s just easier. It helps Tirq and Chaidi, too, and I trust them.” He smiled at Alex and squeezed his hand. “I can trust you to keep my secrets, too, can’t I?”

“Yes, Remi,” Alex promised. 

“Good. Are you hungry? Let’s go see if Uzzi and Zak are done with the heater. They’ll be excited to see you.” He opened the latch and led Alex back out into the main shop. 

Zak came in from the backyard, wiping the grease from his hands onto a stained towel. “Oh, there you are. I’ve been calling you.”

“Sorry.” Remiel walked over and kissed Zak. “I was showing Alex my craft room. Did you get the furnace fixed?”

“I think we’re missing a part. Uz is going to have to heat water manually for another couple days until I can get it.” Zak peered passed Remiel and smiled at Alex. “Hey, kid. Fiends, you’ve gotten taller again. Did you pass your classes?”

Alex smiled fondly at the friendly Terran. “Yes, Zak.”

“Good boy. You should go out and surprise Uz. He’s been talking about you all week. He’ll be happy you’re here.”

Alex grinned and bounced by Zak and Remiel. As he ran out the back door, he heard Remiel gasp and exclaimed, “My shirt! No, Zak! Your hands are filthy!” There was laughter, though, and Alex figured the two of them could use a little time alone.

Outside, in the little courtyard fenced in from the rest of the city, Uzzi stood with his back to the door, glaring at the smoking furnace. One of the side panels was open and a valve dripped black grease. Tools littered the ground, but none of them seemed capable of fixing the problem. 

Alex walked up beside his friend. He stood there for a moment, silently examining the contraption with Uzzi, before the boy glanced over and noticed him. 

“Alex!” Uzzi exclaimed, overjoyed. He picked him up and spun him around. 

“Put me down!” Alex insisted. He swatted Uzzi’s head until the fiery boy put him back on the ground. Alex was pleased to see that Uzzi had healed more since the last time he saw him. The red dots of his eyebrows had grown back in, and most of the scarring along his cheeks was gone. It helped that he had Sophie and Zak around all the time to encourage his recovery. The fiery bristle of his hair had returned, too, shorter than he preferred to wear it, but it stuck up like flames even if he didn’t style it. Right now, there was black grease smeared along one side, which flattened part of his hair like pitch. 

“How long have you been here?” Uzzi asked, bouncing on his toes before Alex. 

“Not long. Remi was showing me his craft room.”

Uzzi huffed. A puff of smoke passed his lips. The fire that smoldered within him had grown stronger since the events of Descendants. Alex worried that he hadn’t gotten all the shard out of Uzzi, but the leftover power didn’t seem to be more than his friend could control. Alex was grateful for that, even if he still didn’t understand what had really happened. 

His own injuries had been superficial compared to what Uzzi endured, but the medics kept him sedated while they healed him. His recovery was quick, funded by an account established by Jequn’s estate. Uzzi hadn’t been as fortunate. Sophie was the best, but there was only so much she and Zak could do each day to help.

By the time Alex returned to the academy, he found out that Uzzi had been suspended for the rest of the year. No one would believe that the fiery boy hadn’t been responsible for the damage on the plateau. 

“Remi never lets me in his craft room,” Uzzi complained. “He says I’m too dirty.” 

Alex reached out and slid his finger through the grease that clung to Uzzi’s skin. He showed his blackened finger to his friend. “You are kind of dirty,” he said.

“I’ll show you dirty.” Uzzi raised his grease covered hands and wiggled his fingers. Alex laughed and ran before Uzzi could grab him, though he didn’t mind the dirt so much. 

When they were both exhausted from running around the yard, they sat by the broken furnace and looked up at the blue sky. “Isa misses you,” Alex said while he focused on calming his breathing. “But he said if I told you, he’d say he kissed me while you were gone.”

“Did he kiss you?” Uzzi asked, trying to hide his obvious jealousy by plucking a shoot of grass from the dirt. 

“Would you be mad if he did?” Alex asked.

“I’d punch him. I’d walk into Archridge on the first day of class and get suspended again because I knocked Isa out.”

Alex lowered his head, letting his long black hair hide the blush on his cheeks and the smile on his lips. “He didn’t kiss me,” Alex assured him. “We’re just friends.” 

“That’s what you always say,” Uzzi said. “Eventually, you’re going to have to make a choice.”

“Eventually,” Alex agreed. “But not now. When I’m ready.”

Uzzi nodded. “I know.” He reached under his shirt collar and pulled a necklace out. “I went back to the field,” he said. “It took a while, but I found this.” He offered the necklace to Alex. “It’s yours, if you want it.”

Alex held out his hands and let Uzzi drop the necklace onto his palms. He blinked, surprised. “My medallion.” It was the circle of wood Uzzi had given to him his first year at the academy. The design was lost, burnt away by the fire that had nearly consumed them both, but the disk was still recognizable.

“I thought about carving a design into it again,” Uzzi said. “But then I thought it suited you more like this, New Moon.” He flipped it over to the other side, showing Alex that both sides were completely blackened. It had been cleaned and sealed, so no char transfered to their hands. “Remi helped a little.”

“Thank you, Uzzi,” Alex said. He slipped the cord around his neck and pressed the medallion against his chest. It was a comfort to have that weight again. “I’ll always keep it.” 

Uzzi grinned and laughed with relief. “I’m glad.” They sat beside each other, their fingers casually entwined in the dirt between them until Remiel came out a several minutes later.

The Ahnnak’s thick brown hair was tousled. His skin was flushed with a satisfied glow. He looked happy. “Hey, boys. You hungry?” 

“Not if you’re cooking,” Uzzi retorted.

“Ha, ha. You can starve, you little moocher,” Remi wrinkled his nose and stuck out his tongue in a completely immature gesture. It made Alex laugh. Remiel smiled. “Actually, Zak and I were thinking we could all go out and eat. Maybe meet up with Sophie during her break, if she’s available.”

“Oh, thank the Isten,” Uzzi sighed with relief. He got up, but before he could go inside, Remiel held out a hand and stopped him.

“Get cleaned up first. You’re not coming inside covered in all that grime.”

Uzzi glared at him. “You’ve got Zak’s hand print on your ass, Remi. Don’t lecture me about being dirty.”

“What?” Remiel opened his wings and twisted, trying to look at his backside, but as he did, Uzzi took the opening and shot in. He was down the hall and up the stairs before Remiel could stop him. “That little brat,” the older Ahnnak muttered, but there was no animosity in the words. Remiel smiled at Alex and settled his wings with a flutter. “You coming?”

“Yes, Remi,” Alex agreed, happily looking forward to the evening. Dinner with Remiel, Sophie, Zak, and Uzzi was always entertaining.

***

It was late by the time Alex left them. Uzzi begged Alex to stay, but he already had other plans. With the bundle of new clothes under his arm, Alex said goodbye to his friends, promised he would see them soon, and flew out of Marut as the sun set. He took the long way around the cliffs of Archridge, just in case anyone might question why he wasn’t returning to the academy tonight.

The western forest looked ominous in the twilight, but Alex was familiar with the gloom. He was comfortable there, and confidently flew over the deep forest to the zvik’s white tree. Golden buds on the branches signaled the return of spring, but the leaves had yet to unfurl. Bo said there would be white blossoms that only bloomed at night. Alex couldn’t wait to see them with the zvik.

He landed in the clearing, half expecting the zvik to already be there to greet him. Alex told Bo he would be returning as soon as class ended. He had even brought a jar of honey, something he had been delighted to discover the zvik enjoyed eating. It was the only thing Bo didn’t refer to as dirt. 

“Hello?” Alex called. He fluttered his wings and folded them. They ached from the flight there, but if he stayed with Bo for the night, they would be ready to carry him back before morning. “Bo? Are you home?”

It was strange. The zvik usually came out to greet him any night the moon wasn’t full. Alex walked toward the cave. “Bo?” he called again. A prickle of warning moved down his spine. 

There was sound from within the cave. Alex tensed. Soft footsteps echoed off the stone. Everything smelled like blood.

“Bo?” Alex whispered. His voice cracked. He stepped into the cave, leaving the starlight of the clearing behind. He paused while his eyes adjusted. From the darkness, someone emerged, but it wasn’t Bo.

“Lorcas, what are you doing here? Why-” Alex was about to ask why the Huntsman smelled like blood, but when he saw the wounds on the older boy’s face, he knew. “What have you done?” Alex whispered. 

“My job,” Lorcas said. His tone was dull, matching the grim expression in his cold grey eyes. Blood streaked his face and matted his hair against his head.

“Where’s Bo?” Alex asked. The question hurt. He already knew the answer, but he refused to believe it.

Lorcas used the edge of his torn shirt to wick blood from the sword in his hand. Clawed gashes covered his chest, visible through the rips in the fabric. “He’s dead, Alex.” 

“Dead? Why? Why did you kill him?” Anguish filled Alex’s chest and tears welled in his eyes. 

Lorcas sheathed his sword. “My time at Archridge is done. Did you really believe I would leave that bloodthirsty fiend unattended this close to the academy?”

“You could have let him go,” Alex insisted.

“Don’t be stupid. He would have killed people anywhere he went.” 

“I could have taken care of him.”

“You can’t even take care of yourself.”

“He was your friend!”

Lorcas moved faster than Alex could react to. A hand closed around his throat and slammed him against the cold, stone wall. Alex dropped the bundle of clothes and grabbed the Huntsman’s wrist while his wings feebly beat against the wall.

“Fiends are not friends,” Lorcas snarled.

“He trusted you,” Alex choked out. Tears dripped down his cheeks. “ _I_ trusted you.”

“How many times have I told you not to trust me?” asked the Huntsman. “Never trust anyone.” Without warning, Lorcas pressed his mouth to Alex’s in a hard kiss.

Immediate terror and shock immobilized the younger boy. He felt the probing tongue of the Huntsman force its way into his mouth, and for several heartbeats, he was too scared to resist him. The hand on his neck carried the same threat of pain Jequn’s touch always did. But then Alex remembered the medallion and felt its weight against his chest. It was enough to break him from his fear, leaving room for anger to surge forth.

Alex bit down.

Lorcas jerked his head back, teeth marks visible around his lower lip. “Fiends! Fuck!” He touched his mouth, and when he came away with blood, he immediately slapped Alex. “You bit me, you little shit!”

“Let me go!” Alex cried. He kicked at Lorcas and scratched his arm, but the Huntsman didn’t release him.

“You think anyone will hear you? I could do whatever I want to you right now, and no one would come save you.” Lorcas’ grip tightened to a strangling hold, pressing against the arteries in Alex’s neck and cutting off blood flow to his brain.

“No!” Alex gasped. “I hate you!” He struggled, but sparks of light burst in his vision as he quickly started to loose consciousness.

“Good. Hate me.” Lorcas threw Alex down on the hard cave floor. The boy coughed and drew in a ragged breath. “This world is a cruel, unfair place, and the sooner you understand that, the better off you’ll be.”

Alex glared up at Lorcas. “The only fiend here is you. I’ll never forgive you.” 

“Fine. I can take your anger, little one. Maybe it’ll help you remember.” He kicked Alex in the stomach with the toe of his boot. 

The young boy grunted and curled around himself. Tears blurred his vision. He felt like throwing up.

Lorcas flipped a lock of bloody hair back from his face and gazed down at Alex. “Fiends, you look so much like your brother when you cry…”

Clutching his stomach, Alex tried to remember how to think passed the pain. It was hard. “I’ll tell him what you’ve done,” he threatened with a shaky voice.

“Be my guest.” Lorcas spit blood onto the floor. “While you’re at it, let him know how often you’ve been coming out here to play with a fiend. I’m sure he’ll understand.”

Alex’s wings tightened against his back. No, that wasn’t an option. His lower lip trembled as he whispered, “You didn’t even let me say goodbye.”

“The zvik has known my intentions for a while. If he wanted to say goodbye to you, he would have.”

“No,” Alex said, but then he remembered the last time he had spoken to Bo. The zvik had said something. The words had been strange at the time, but now…

Lorcas crouched and grabbed a fistful of Alex’s hair, forcing him to look up at him. “I want you to know it’s not personal, Alex. I can’t have loose ends after I leave Archridge. And honestly, you’re a cute kid, but if it weren’t for your brother, I would kill you, too.”

Alex blinked up at Lorcas, shaking with fear. The Huntsman was serious. He killed beasts and fiends all the time. What was one more small boy compared to all that bloodshed?

Lorcas smiled when he saw the fear and understanding in Alex’s eyes. “But I can trust you to keep this a secret, can’t I? You wouldn’t want to disappoint your brother. Or your Isten.”

“No…” Alex whispered weakly. “I won’t say anything.”

“Good.” Lorcas released Alex’s hair with a rough shove. “Because something tells me your Isten isn’t the forgiving type, and your idiot brother cares about you too much. It makes him stupid.” The Huntsman stood. “Whatever he does to protect you is going to get him killed. Gabriel would be better off without you.” He scoffed, glaring down at the trembling boy. “But you already know that, don’t you?”

The words pierced right through Alex’s core. He curled up on the cave floor, fighting against the surge of despair within him. “I know,” he whimpered. “I know…”

That was how Lorcasiel left Alex, alone and shivering on a cave floor in the middle of a dark forest. The thin, black-haired boy sobbed in the dirt until he felt hollow. Only when that familiar emptiness settled in his chest was he able to rise and numbly walk the rest of the way into the zvik’s cave. 

It was easy to start a fire. The new cords Remiel gave him caught the leftover logs quickly. 

It wasn’t as easy to collect the pieces of the zvik. Alex used a shirt from his new bundle of clothes to bind the fiend’s body together. The fabric was dark blue, embroidered with golden sparks like the night sky. He tightened the knot and placed the remains in the fire. He added the jar of honey as well, a final offering to the fiend. 

Alex stayed beside the blaze until the last of the flames consumed his friend. The zvik’s final words returned to him. 

_“He will be sssadder than he realizes when it-t-t isss over. Cruelty masksss despair. Do no-t-t take hisss pain as your own. You will be stronger than us all.”_

Then the zvik had sighed and looked into the flames, sitting on the stone where Alex sat now. 

_“I think honey in the stars will be nice.”_

The jar of honey cracked in the fire, and Alex buried his face in his hands and cried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End of Year Four
> 
> Alex and Gabriel's story will continue in Fall From Grace - [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17931053)


End file.
